Markey cites 'security' concerns in crafting August schedule

Freshman Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Fort Collins, has yet to schedule any town hall meetings with constituents, and requests for information from both this publication and other media have been met with silence from her communications staff.

According to constituents who have reached out to her district office, Markey's staff are talking up potential “Congress on Your Corner” sessions during which constituents are invited to meet Markey for one-on-one discussions at a coffee shop or restaurant. Such an arrangement would be more favorable to the politically vulnerable Congresswoman than traditional town hall meetings, which tend to be more open. Staff say her office is considering the impact of unspecified "security concerns" before setting any firm plans.

It is Markey’s duty to face her constituents, both the supportive and disgruntled. It is equally important those constituents remain respectful during any public forums.

During a conference call with reporters, Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams cautioned any would-be rabble-rousers. “I do not believe the attendees at these town meetings should be rude or disruptive,” he said. “I actually do think there should be very, very forceful and strong statements in opposition to the health care proposal, but I do not believe in disruptive crowds.”

One-on-one meetings are intimate, but their reach is limited. Markey owes it to her district to host as many public forums as possible, especially with massive health care reform on the horizon. If Markey has security concerns, why not hold a town hall meeting in the CSU student union ballroom? The venue boasts plenty of space, and CSU's police force probably has extra staff to spare since students aren't yet back for the fall semester. Most Americans are fully capable of holding grown-up conversations about politics and policy without shouting or physical outbursts. To avoid a public event with constituents under the "security" canard would constitute an inexcusable avoidance of duty.