Rep. Tom MacArthur Pushes Back Against Citizens Town Hall Meeting

With a nationwide debate raging about what is happening at town hall meetings held by members of Congress, particularly those hosted by Republicans, Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3) is one of a number of local representatives who have resisted calls to host town hall meetings because of the raucous and angry crowds that have shown up at some.

So on Wednesday night, an interest group from South Jersey staged its own town hall at the Frances Demasi Middle School in Marlton and invited MacArthur to attend.

MacArthur wasn’t in attendance, and instead held a tele-town hall at a radio station in Toms River simultaneously.

New Jersey Citizen Action supported the South Jersey Now Indivisible chapter in holding the town hall, the Courier Post reports.

At the town hall, speakers called on MacArthur to vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act, raise the minimum wage and stop President Donald Trump’s immigration actions, among other issues.

Moorestown resident Dr. Eileen Hill called MacArthur’s absence and decision to hold a tele-town hall an “insult.”She told the newspaper she believes he is “scared to show up,” and held his tele-town hall in an effort to prevent residents from showing up to the middle school. Hill told the newspaper it was the first time she had gotten involved in politics.

However, MacArthur said Hill organized the meeting and was following the Indivisible "playbook" through actions where Hill announced the intent to invite MacArthur to the town hall before she contacted MacArthur's office, and then bowing out of a scheduled meeting with the congressman on Tuesday at the last minute.

"Our office has been in communication with Dr. Hill over the past week, advising her that Congressman MacArthur would not be attending their meeting of ‘Indivisible,’ and scheduled a meeting with her for Feb. 21,” MacArthur said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, prior to the town hall meeting. “She abruptly canceled the meeting the morning of Feb. 21, and appears to be pushing forward with an event where the Congressman would not be present. Again, following the playbook."

Indivisible refers to a guide written by former congressional staffers who shared ways what they called "best practices for making Congress listen."

MacArthur further said Wednesday night’s meeting was "not a completely organic movement driven by constituents who simply want to have a conversation with their congressman."

“ 'Indivisible' is a highly organized group with a clear partisan agenda," the release said. "While there are no doubt well-intentioned constituents among them (like the constituents Rep. MacArthur met with (Tuesday) at his office), the fact of the matter is that these "town hall" events are being pushed and promoted by a collection of progressive groups (led by one called “Indivisible,” which was founded by former Democrat Congressional staffers) to try and embarrass congressional Republicans and get media coverage. Their goal is to make a spectacle, not constructively discuss policy differences."

MacArthur’s office was referring to an impromptu meeting he had with Evesham Township Democrats on Tuesday.

"Last night, as I was leaving my office at the Gibson House in Marlton, I saw a sign near the door - 'Evesham Democrats 7 - 8:30 Downstairs,' MacArthur said in the post. "I had just finished up a productive meeting with Action Together Burlington County - an organization that was respectfully protesting at my office just last week - and I wondered if the Evesham Democrats would mind if I stopped-by.

"So, I walked in. Yes, a Republican Congressman dropping in to a meeting of local Democrats to talk with them about some very serious concerns they had. We didn't yell or point fingers. We talked honestly and respectfully. We certainly disagreed in some areas, but we did it respectfully.

"I genuinely cherish moments like these and I'm certain our country would be the better for it, if members of both parties - Republicans and Democrats alike - would commit ourselves to working together to make America the best it can be.

"Neither party has a lock on good ideas and all should have their imprint on where we go as a nation. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to represent Burlington and Ocean Counties in the United States House of Representatives."

In Wednesday’s statement, MacArthur's office also said it was invited to the meeting by New Jersey Citizen Action who, according to their website, is a “liberal activist group” and said New Jersey Citizen Action has been organizing protests at MacArthur's district offices in Marlton and Toms River — protests put together by paid staffers they say live outside the district.

"As numerous events around the country have demonstrated, these town hall events have devolved into shouting matches where mutually respective dialogue has been replaced with organized heckling and shouts, and in one case injured an elderly woman and child," the news release said.

MacArthur's staff insists he is accessible to constituents, citing statistics of 14,584 constituents have written, called, or emailed the office on 123 different issues since Jan. 1, with responses sent to 14,155; 860 additional constituents have received mail on healthcare and retirement savings legislation facing the House, his staff said.

"Tom has had several dozen meetings with constituents (including Jewish War Veterans and local law enforcement this week). His legislative staff has had 27 meetings with constituents, including AFGE, NJ Habitat for Humanity, and Parents Project for Muscular Dystrophy. (He) continues to meet with constituents and community leaders in the district."

Wednesday night’s tele-town hall, where constituents are invited to call in, was the second MacArthur has held, following one he held on Feb. 13. On both calls, MacArthur has reiterated his stance against holding in-person town halls.

The callers who have spoken have identified themselves as being from towns throughout the Third District. The questions have covered a mix of topics, from the concerns about health care to the heroin epidemic.

Each call has lasted about an hour, and he has taken 15 questions. On Wednesday, one woman from Moorestown specifically about the Affordable Care Act: what parts of it he would keep and which parts he would cut. MacArthur, who has criticized the ACA as "broken" and hurting many, voted against the bill presented in the early days of the new term that would completely repeal the ACA.

"We can't pull the rug out from under the 11 million Americans who have coverage now who didn't have it before," he said. But he said the flaws in it that have driven up deductibles and the cost of coverage have to be fixed.

"Every American should be able to buy health insurance," MacArthur said, relating a story about how his father had to work three jobs to pay off medical bills after MacArthur's mother died of cancer when the congressman was 4 years old. "He did that until I was 21 years old," and MacArthur said it was in part because someone paid off the rest of the bills that his father was able to quit working three jobs at that point.

MacArthur also said that without insurance, he himself would have been broke because the medical bills for his oldest daughter, Gracie, who was born with special needs and died at age 11, exceeded $1 million.

"So I understand how important it is that every American have some kind of health insurance," he said. MacArthur also said whatever is done to repair the ACA must be done with both parties involved. "It can't be one party pushing it through," he said.

MacArthur was also scheduled to participate in a radio call-in show at 7 p.m. Thursday night. To listen to the show, visit www.mybeachradio.com.

Patch file photo