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Residents Sought Assurances And Pledge of Action On Issues Including Protecting Medicaid, Social Security, Constitutional Integrity
NEWS ANALYSIS
By Tina Traster
A good politician must read the room. A good politician knows how to listen and show compassion, even if he disagrees with his constituents. A good politician knows when to veer off script because people need soothing and authenticity more than soundbites.
This is where Congressman Mike Lawler fell short during his Town Hall gathering of more than 700 residents Sunday afternoon at Clarkstown South High School. Even before he took the stage, anyone paying attention could feel the restive atmosphere in the room. Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny, moderating the event, barely got to outline the rules of decorum, asking for “respect, no yelling, swearing, whistling, standing up” before it became patently clear the crowd would not abide.
Lawler, a freshman Congressman who has built a high-profile in the Republican party in his district and in Washington D.C., had more than ample forewarning to grasp that people are scared, angry, and feeling helpless in visceral and existential ways, and have been showing these emotions with bold behavior in protests and at town halls nationwide. People on both sides of the aisle are worried about the government safety net, including Medicaid and Social Security, the yo-yo Stock Market, tariffs, deportation of people without due process, the gutting of the Education Department, and the general daily chaos that spills from Washington D.C.
These atypical times call for more than just pat responses or politic-speak because Hudson Valley constituents are craving a leader who can push past jargon and rhetoric. In short, worried Americans want soothing and action.
“Lawler should have pulled up a chair, sat down, and said ‘let’s have a conversation’,” said George Pejoves, a Valley Cottage resident after the event. “He shows no empathy. He is out of his depth. They say we’re yelling or heckling and that we’re hostile – but we’re his constituents and we’re upset and angry and we don’t feel like he is listening to us.”
Lawler is the kind of politician who is comfortable when he is campaigning or explaining wonky policy. But the fraught Town Hall tension required him to connect to pain and the bone-chilling fear people are grappling with, and he seemed unable to do this. Rather than de-escalating the temperature in the room, his scripted, often defensive responses failed. It was not usual for the crowd to howl with displeasure repeatedly, particularly each time Lawler endeavored to shift blame to the Biden administration or to other Democrats. He didn’t read the room: this was not a political rally.
The Congressman most lacked credibility when he said: “We are a strong united country.”
As Lawler knows we have never been more divided, and so a slogan like that made him sound tone deaf and hollow.
In all, around 10 people were chosen by a raffle to ask a question. They were told they’d have 30 seconds, but no one adhered to that rule. Every constituent raised concerns, and sometimes disgust, over the Trump administration’s policies and behavior, particularly pointing to his flouting of court orders and deporting people without due process.
Lawler expressed agreement with agitated constituents over issues such as the illegal deportation effort of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man the administration claims is tied to a violent street gang, to an El Salvador prison. Lawler also said he believes in restricting stock trading in Congress, raising the SALT deduction, misuse of the Defense Secretary using the SIGNAL to discuss war plans, and the efficacy of vaccinations and medical research for AIDs and autism.
Responding to concerns over Pete Hegseth’s use of an unrestricted APP, he said, “It’s wrong, it never should have happened, but safeguards are in place.” He added, “The Secretary was confirmed by the Senate. The President is not firing him. As far as military preparedness, the operations themselves have gone well.” Then he shifted the discussion to Biden’s Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s failures, which were interrupted by a roar of loud boos and “blah, blah, blah,” because most of the attendees did not come out to hear politics-as-usual.
“I’m a moderate,” the first speaker said. “We’re getting hurt, harmed, and we want to know what you are doing specifically.” The speaker raised the issue of ICE recently deporting a child who is an American citizen receiving treatment for a rare form of cancer.
To that Lawyer said, “My record speaks for itself,” citing that he is considered one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. “I do work with my colleagues.” Then he spoke about the economy saying: “we have an affordability crisis, everything went up.” He talked about record inflation and interest rates and mortgage costs. But he did not address the deportation of children who are American citizens, missing a crucial opportunity to address a humanitarian crisis.
When asked about tariffs, he toed the Republican administration’s line that tariffs will reduce barriers to other countries and stimulate manufacturing in the United States.
The most intense questions were raised about threats to Medicaid. Many took issue with Lawler’s vote for the Senate’s $1.5 trillion budget.
He responded by saying the government’s debt is not sustainable, and that children and grandchildren will be saddled down the road.
“You can take out your anger on me, but I continue to show up to serve this community,” he said defensively but then acknowledged that Medicaid is a program that must be protected. He also said Social Security has not been touched.
“There are 25 of us in the conference, who, as we negotiate the tax bill, plan to safeguard the program.” Lawler said the program “is intended to help those who need it – it’s not for long-term support. Try to get a job and work. Bill Clinton championed it in the 1990s.”
The congressman was unapologetic about illegal immigrants, saying: “New York State spent more than $1.2 billion on illegal immigrants. It’s not a proper use of taxpayer money,” again laying the blame at Biden’s feet.
One speaker spoke passionately about Trump’s efforts to consolidate executive power, while trampling on the U.S. Constitution. “The administration deported three children, United States’ citizens. Without medication, he said, referring to the child with cancer. “This cannot be tolerated. This authoritarianism, where is the line?”
Lawler said Congress and the judiciary must assert rightful power – to which the audience chanted “do it, do it, do it.”
The Congressman added, “This should not happen in the United States. They should follow court orders, and I fundamentally believe the courts are going to weigh in. And if the return (of Garcia) is not facilitated, the courts will hold numerous people in contempt.”
As the audience became more unleased, a speaker told Lawler he was a retired software engineer who worked in the poultry industry and now drove ambulances. He told Lawler he is worried about cuts to federal agencies like the FDA and food safety.
“I know what it’s like to save lives,” he said, referring to driving an ambulance. “This administration is hurting people. You talk but you don’t get anything done. If you fail, you should leave. What are you going to do to make sure you’re successful.”
Lawler, again missing an opportunity to connect with a man whose voice cracked with emotion, said, “It’s not enough for Democrats to resist or hate the administration. They have to engage in conversation.”
More than 90 minutes in, the audience was becoming more restless, and Lawler also grew sharper. In the audience, police were issuing warnings, attempting to remove people, including former Clarkstown Councilwoman Shirley Lasker.
“The rules were that you weren’t supposed to shout or call out but people were yelling and booing from the beginning,” said Lasker. “Lawler’s staff would tell you you had three chances or they’d take you out. I felt like I was in kindergarten. But we continued to call out, and two cops came by and told us to get out of our seats and leave.”
Lasker stayed put. She told the cops she was a former public official. But she said, “I told them if you want to take me out, you’re going to have to carry me out of here.” She remained seated until the end.
