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U.S. NEWS Thursday 23 February 2017

Republicans who won after rowdy town halls now avoiding them

Continued from Front ogy...are preying on public
town halls to wreak havoc
In Montana, Republican and threaten public safe-
Sen. Steve Daines got way- ty.”
laid with boos and jeers Republicans accused of
from hundreds of protest- going into hiding are get-
ers just for rescheduling an ting some sympathy — from
appearance before state Democrats they defeated,
lawmakers Helena from including former Colorado
Tuesday to Wednesday. Rep. Betsy Markey.
“What a coward!” said Back in 2010, she held
Katherine Haque-Haus- town hall meetings focus-
rath, a protest organizer ing on health care only to
who demanded he meet be greeted by a deluge
with constituents. “If he of conservative protest-
doesn’t listen to us now, he ers who showed up wav-
can listen to us in 2020 in ing yellow “Don’t Tread on
the election.” Me” flags.
Daines was met inside “They were pretty rowdy,”
the Capitol Wednesday Markey recalled with a
by dozens of protesters chuckle.
who yelled “Do your job!”
Asked why he resched- Republicans who man-
uled, Daines said he decid- The face of Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., accompanied by words and moving text, which is part of aged their campaigns to
ed to hold multiple events an environmental protest and unauthorized art installation, is displayed on the wall of the Denver take advantage of the tea
Wednesday and nothing Art Museum, in Denver. party movement’s populist
on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley) appeal must learn to take
He also reminded reporters booed and heckled inside interview that he plans no “What I’m seeing, and I’m what was dished out be-
about the result of last No- the private luncheon. town meetings for now be- seeing it all over the coun- fore to the Democrats, she
vember’s election: “While Amodei defended him- cause he sees no point in try, is people grab the mi- said.
every voice must be heard self, saying he was there them turning into forums for crophone, and don’t give “That’s why you were
in Montana, the reality is doing his job and meet- people who want to disrupt it back.” elected, to represent the
the people of Montana re- ing with constituents. And the events. And Texas Rep. Louie people. You come back
jected Hillary Clinton and Heller said he would hold “What about the average Gohmert announced he on weekends, you come
voted for Donald Trump.” a town hall meeting if rules person, whether or not they opted for telephone town back on breaks, and you
About 200 protesters clam- were put in place similar to agree with me, that’s in the halls because groups from talk to people — even if
ored Wednesday outside a those for debates in Con- audience? They want to what he called “violent they don’t like what you’re
Carson City, Nevada, casi- gress. have a dialogue,” he said. strains of the leftist ideol- doing,” Markey said.q
no where Sen. Dean Heller “No applauding, no boo-
and Rep. Mark Amodei, ing and we will have a
both Republicans, spoke one-on-one dialogue,” he
behind closed doors in a proposed.
session for business lead- In Nebraska, Republican
ers — and ended getting Rep. Don Bacon said in an
Last of pipeline opponents leave
North Dakota protest camp area

BLAKE NICHOLSON left peacefully, but police
JAMES MacPHERSON began making arrests
Associated Press more than an hour after
CANNON BALL, N.D. (AP) the deadline passed. It
— The last of the Dakota was not immediately clear
Access pipeline opponents how many people had
abandoned their protest been arrested. Authorities
camp Wednesday ahead brought five large vans to
of a government deadline the scene.
to get off the federal land, Hours earlier, about 150
and authorities arrested people marched arm-
others who defied the in-arm out of the soggy
order in a final show of camp, singing and playing
dissent. drums as they walked
The camp has been home down a highway. It was
to demonstrators for most not clear where they were
of a year as they tried to headed. One man carried
thwart construction of the an American flag hung
pipeline. Some of the last upside-down.
remnants of it went up in Authorities sent buses to
flames when occupants take protesters to Bismarck,
set fire to makeshift where they were offered
wooden housing as part of fresh clothing, bus fare
a leaving ceremony. home and food and hotel
Many of the protesters vouchers.q