Town halls are part of the job

It used to be in-person town hall meetings between members of Congress and their constituents were part pf the job. The meetings give Iowans a chance ask questions and, at times, take members to task for unpopular policies.

U.S. Sen. Chuck faced voter anger during a town hall last week in Hampton. There, according to The Gazette’s Tom Barton, Iowans’ anger over funding cuts and mass firings of federal employees led by billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to slash the federal government boiled over.

“My question, which I think is on our minds here, is where is Congress?” a speaker at the town hall said of Musk and Trump, who have been largely ignoring Congress by signing executive orders canceling funding approved by lawmakers and dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.

Grassley calmly addressed speakers, and the audience was appreciative he faced questions and hecklers.

Grassley took some punches but emerged no worse for wear. That’s how this is supposed to work in our democratic republic, where Congress works for the governed.

Unfortunately, not everyone sees meetings as important.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged House members to skip town hall meetings, insisting that gatherings are filled with paid protesters.

“The videos you saw of the town halls were for paid protesters in many of those places,” Johnson told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview Wednesday.

We’ve seen no evidence this is happening in Iowa. The actions of Trump and Musk have stoked protest across the country. We doubt anyone had to offer pay to find Americans angry about the administration’s slash-and-burn approach to cost-cutting.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson said earlier this month she will ignore John’s advice and hold in-person town halls, which she has held in the past.

“I've done 42 in-person town halls (since taking office in 2021), dozens of virtual town halls, and so I will be doing town halls this Congress,” Hinson told reporters.

Hinson’s town halls, she said, are announced in her newsletter.

We hope Hinson lives up to her town hall promise. Grassley also should. We urge other members of the Iowa delegation to vase the voters.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com