Some residents of the 18th Congressional district in Peoria picketed outside the Farm Bureau Mon., where Rep. Darin LaHood was speaking in a private member event.
They voiced concerns over the GOP Congressman’s accessibility and their desire for him to have a town hall meeting.
Pat Mulloy was among those listening to the congressman inside the Farm Bureau. Mulloy says he wanted to express his concerns about losing Mexico as a source for corn exports:
“He tells the farmers he’s for NAFTA. He goes up to congress and he’s with the present administration. I think that’s disingenuous and I think that’s why he’s refusing to have an open town hall meeting,” Mulloy said.
When LaHood left the event, he stopped and talked to the people holding signs.
“Talking to people about all of those issue that are important, whether that’s agriculture, whether that’s repealing and replacing Obama Care, whether that on tax reform, infrastructure on Agriculture that what people want to hear and that’s what I continue to talk about,” LaHood said.
Congressman LaHood says he’ll be in his district all week to meet with small groups. LaHood’s office says he’s held 250 such meetings in the past six months.
Republican congressional leaders are discouraging colleagues from hosting town hall-style meetings, citing safety concerns. At least one group, “More In Common” based in Eureka, says its requests to meet with LaHood have not been answered.