SOMERS, N.Y. (AP) — Voters in U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler’s suburban New York swing district unloaded a barrage of criticism on the Republican during a raucous town hall Sunday night, peppering him with questions around President Donald Trump’s aggressive agenda before devolving into a chaotic chorus of boos as attendees were removed by law enforcement.
The town hall in Somers, a leafy section of Lawler’s Hudson Valley district, began to teeter off the rails soon after it began.
The first crack emerged when Lawler, in his opening remarks, told the packed out prep school auditorium “This is what democracy looks like.”
Laughter crept through the crowd.
A little while later, the congressman’s mention of federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drew loud jeers.
“So you want, for instance, petroleum-based dyes to continue?” Lawler asked in response.
Republicans, in some instances, have made themselves scarce in their home districts following President Donald Trump’s first few months in office, as party leadership expresses wariness of viral blowback against Republicans in vulnerable seats.
Lawler, a moderate who last year won a second term and has openly expressed interest in running for governor, has instead sought to put himself in front of voters, holding a previous town hall late last month and has plans for more in the coming weeks.
On Sunday, Lawler’s staff required people to RSVP and set up a series of ground rules, including that attendees live in the district, not record at the event, refrain from shouting or standing, and “be respectful of one another, of staff, and of the Congressman,” a sign at the door read.
At one point, as Lawler was responding to a question about tariffs, security and law enforcement began to surround a woman in the upper stretch of the auditorium. The crowd chanted “let her stay, let her stay” before law enforcement picked her up and carried her out. It was unclear what exactly led to her removal.
“Shame! Shame! Shame!,” the audience yelled.
Lawler tried to get back on track: “Folks, tariffs are way more complicated than you want to make them.”
The crowd groaned.
“Folks, enough!,” Lawler said above the din.
Soon after, another person was removed. Then another.
In the audience, Jeanette Spoor, a 74-year-old retiree, said she wanted to ask Lawler about the future of Social Security and Medicaid but wasn’t called on during the nearly two hour event.
“You’re not helping your constituents if you’re making it hard for them to get help,” she said in an interview.
She added, “I have no hopes for this guy.”
Another attendee, Kristi Thompson, 52, said she was bothered by what she said were Lawler’s long-winded answers that didn’t address the substance of the crowd’s questions.
“He claims to be available to constituents but he isn’t,” she said.
The crowd walked out during the final question of the night, which was about protests against Israel. Lawler began to answer, but cut himself off as the room emptied out.
“I appreciate everybody coming out tonight and taking the time to ask your questions and hear my answers, whether you liked them or not, or agreed with them or not, or whether you really actually wanted to listen to them or not, but I very much appreciate you participating,” he said as attendees exited.
