UNIVERSITY PARK — A lecture hall in the Forum at Penn State University was full to capacity on Feb. 25 for a town hall meeting for the constituents of U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard Township; however, the Republican representing the 5th Congressional District was not in attendance.
“This is what the congressman looks like,” said Marc Friedenberg, as he produced a life-sized cardboard cut-out of the congressman. Friedenberg, a lecturer at Penn State, organized the event, along with IST Student Government, through a Facebook group. “I want you to look to the left, and then look to the right. If you see Glenn Thompson, please let me know.”
Cheers erupted from the crowd as visitors shot signs reading “GT, where are you?” and “Hey GT, we need to talk” into the air.
Thompson told The Centre County Gazette on March 1 that he was notified of the event just days before and said he had prior commitments.
“The organizers of this event contacted my office Monday evening for an event scheduled that Saturday,” said Thompson. “The venue and time changed twice, and unfortunately, I had a previous commitment. The organizer’s communications with my office indicated that they could care less if I was available to participate.”
Thompson said he has several one-on-one meetings scheduled with constituents at his Bellefonte office on Monday, March 6.
Despite Thompson’s absence, the event rolled on as several constituents of the district addressed the paper cut-out.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
Friedenberg opened the dialogue posing the first question, asking Thompson if he would agree to hiring an independent counsel to examine the connection between the Trump administration and its ties with Russia.
“And if you don’t, why not?” he asked.
The crowd reacted with applause, and held green construction paper in the air to show their agreement. For comments and responses the crowd disagreed with, they held up red papers.
Friedenberg’s question was followed by questions and stories from several residents of the district, spanning from health care reform to environmental impacts and job creation.
David Werner, a local physician with elected experience in Ferguson Township, said he attended the gathering to “sound an alarm.”
“Our democracy is being threatened and Representative Thompson is AWOL,” said Werner. “Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, independent, Green Party, Libertarian, we must all stand together and take back our democracy.”
Werner said he was concerned with the Trump administration limiting the media.
“Eliminating the free press is the first step to a dictatorship,” said Werner, quoting Sen. John McCain. “Where is Congressman Thompson defending our free press and our constitutional guarantee. Will he always be a Trump ‘yes-man’?”
Kelli Hoover said she is constantly worrying about global warming and said she couldn’t understand why Thompson would vote to allow coal debris to be dumped into Pennsylvania streams.
“Remember when our streams were all orange. Look how that had an impact on our area,” she said. “That’s what it was like in Pennsylvania for a long time, and it took a long time to get better. Now, we’re going backwards.”
She said the United States is behind several other countries in the production of solar panels and wind turbines.
“We need to get our act together, and you’re not doing your job,” said Hoover.
Following dozens more comments and questions from constituents, Friedenberg said a recorded copy of the event will be sent to Thompson; however, he said he doubts he will even view it.
CONSTITUENT MEETINGS
Thompson defended his position that he is very accessible to the constituents of the district in a written statement to the Gazette.
“It’s clear this was a failed attempt to misrepresent the level of engagement I have with constituents,” Thompson said. “I want the people to know that I am accessible and available to meet with them to discuss the issues that are most important to them.
“In 2016 alone, I hosted more than 1,000 constituent meetings in 16 counties,” he continued. “These meetings are to sit down at the table and find out how we can solve problems.”
Steve Miller, chairman of the Centre County GOP Leadership Team, said “GT Thompson is probably one of the hardest working people in the whole world. This is a man who always makes himself available to constituents.”
Miller said the congressman regularly accommodates constituents of the district, and noted that him not attending the gathering was not because he doesn’t care about what the people of the district think, but rather because he had prior commitments.
“It’s not up to anyone but us to determine when and where a town hall meeting will be held,” said Miller, “and it will not be dictated by his opposition.”
