Montini: Constituents bring cookies, congressman's office calls cops
Pinny Sheoran isn’t rude or menacing. Just concerned.
She’s a citizen. A voter. Not a hooligan. Not a paid protester.
A person.
An American.
RELATED: Rep. McSally hosts a tense town hall
She and a group of voters from Rep. David Schweikert’s 6th Congressional District have been wanting to express their views to their representative for some time, without much luck. On Thursday, as is their usual practice, they went to Schweikert’s Scottsdale office hoping to get in a word with the congressman.
This week members of congress are in recess. Most back at their home districts.
A few of the members of Sheoran’s small group of constituents brought cookies to the congressman’s office.
Someone in Schweikert’s office called the cops.
Normal folks no longer get a seat
“What has happened to our country and our democracy?” Sheoran asked me. “At one time I could say democracy and mean OUR country, but no more.”
These days, for the most part, it seems as if only those constituents who are willing to pay big bucks for friendly closed gatherings are welcomed by their representatives.
Meantime, the Arizona Legislature tries to inhibit free speech and citizen involvement with bill after bill.
“We are about 233 individuals collected together under the Facebook banner AZ INDIVISIBLE CD 6,” Sheoran said. “We have been going to Schweikert’s office every Wednesday at 10 -- specifically to ask for his time so we can express our concerns. As this is Recess Week we decided to try to get some time. Maybe a town hall where we can politely ask him questions. No luck there.”
MONTINI: Cowardly cowering congressmen
The police officers were nice enough. I can’t say for sure if they were offered or accepted a snack.
In the meantime, Schweikert's constituents have decided to stage their own town hall, and have invited the congressman to a meeting from 7-8:30 pm. Friday at Shadow Rock Congregational Church, 12861 N. 8th Avenue in Phoenix.
Organizers expect 200 constituents to attend. They're hopeful but not optimistic the congressman will show up. After all, there was no sign of Schweikert when the constituents showed up at his office Wednesday.
By the way, this is a congressman who has publicly expoused free expression, tweeting:
I suppose he simply doesn't want constituents to express their opinions to him.
The nice ladies came bearing cookies. They left with nothing.
These days, that's how the congressional cookie crumbles.