According to library staff, a Washington DC-based staff member for Republican US Rep. Mark Messmer (District 8), requested police be called on attendees to his Mobile Office Hours at the Warrick County Public Library on Tuesday.
According to Library Director Brooke Bolton, it was Chief of Staff Michael Curcio.
Mobile office hours are generally for answering questions one-on-one with Messmer assistants. They're held throughout the 21 counties in his district of 750,000 constituents.
But frustrated by a reported overall lack of communication from Messmer over their concerns with Trump policies, attendees wanted to ask questions as a group. Messmer is not currently in the area.
Attendee Kristina Bickle recorded a video, featuring an emotional exchange between Messmer’s staff and attendees.
“We’re here to listen,” said a Messmer staff member from within the small four-person room in which they were set up.
“You should be here to talk to us,” replied an attendee. “We want answers. We have called Messmer’s office and we don't get any answers.”
Another attendee was more animated, and frustrated that Messmer’s assistants wouldn’t leave the small room to switch to a larger conference room provided by the library.
Shortly after this, the library staff were asked by phone to call the police — but they declined.
“My staff told (Curcio) that no one was breaking any rules of this library,” said Bolton. “They were not being hostile, they were not being disruptive.”
According to Bolton, there were about 12 attending, mostly seniors.
Bickle said Medicaid, social security and care of a special needs child under this Trump administration, were among the topics of concern.
“So really, all we were wanting to do was have a public discourse in which we could ask questions in a respectful way of the people who are supposed to represent the people who represent us,” Bickle said. “That's all we wanted.”
Messmer’s office has not yet responded to WNIN’s emails. Bolton said they’ve not had such a situation at a congressional traveling office hours event before.
She said they’ll host Messmer again, but in a bigger room to accommodate more people.
A demonstration is planned outside his Evansville office to compel him to hold an-in-person town-hall meeting.
Messmer’s staff said they’re in “constant communication” with constituents via digital means and phone calls.
As of this posting, there are no further Mobile Office Hours set in his district. WNIN will update the story if Messmer's office responds.
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