Democratic members of Congress are using the Congressional recess to reach out to their constituents. Members like Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Gwen Moore, and Rep. Ron Kind are traveling all over their districts to meet everyday Wisconsinites in high school auditoriums, community centers, college campuses, and anywhere else that will allow a town hall meeting.
Unfortunately for Wisconsinites living in the First Congressional District, Speaker Paul Ryan has only hosted one town hall in 2017… on CNN, where his dance moves got more attention than anything else. Since the congressional recess began earlier in April, Ryan hasn’t made a trip to visit his constituents in a town hall setting, declining invitations from local grassroots organizations.
Ryan shockingly has no time for his constituents, but couldn’t pass up an opportunity to visit Universal Studios Theme Park.
SHOT: Ryan spotted touring Universal Studios: “Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) toured Universal Studios in Hollywood, Calif., on Sunday while enjoying the two-week congressional recess. Ryan appears in a video released by TMZ Monday, smiling as he strolls through the theme park wearing a bright blue shirt and sunglasses. Ryan reportedly stopped at Universal with his wife, Janna, to visit one of the park’s ‘Harry Potter’ attractions.”
Ryan’s constituents are fed up with not being able to speak to their Representative. Yesterday, the Janesville Gazette, the Speaker’s hometown newspaper, published a stinging editorial critiquing Ryan’s absence in the district.
CHASER: Our View: Detached from his district: “Paul Ryan, your constituents have waited long enough. It’s time for a town hall, even if it’s only the telephone kind. Something. Anything to show your constituents that you—not only your staff—are hearing their concerns. […] Why are we so insistent about holding town halls? Because they’re especially important during the transition from a Democratic to Republican presidency and the resultant policy upheaval. Voters in the 1st Congressional District deserve the opportunity to question their representative in a public setting to gauge his intentions. That you failed to hold a town hall before unveiling a monumental change in health care law was—to be blunt—galling.”
So far, complaints have fallen on deaf ears as evidenced by Ryan’s plans to visit Georgia in the near future to campaign for Republican Karen Handel in Georgia.
LIME: Georgia candidates dive into intense runoff campaign: “Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan is planning a trip to Georgia to campaign alongside Handel in the next few weeks, according to a Ryan political aide.”
Enjoy, Georgia, Speaker. Your constituents will still be waiting on your return.
