Chaotic community conversations

A chorus of both cheers and boos echoed in the Small Hall at the Sweetwater Events Complex last Saturday afternoon when U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman stood up in front of the crowd. The mixed responses continued as she addressed the hundreds of people who gathered for her town hall event, with supporters praising her work and cheering her words while protestors raised signs and yelled out disagreement.

"I'm perfectly happy to have all of you here, but you're not going to do heckler speech to stop me from engaging with the people who came to hear me," Hageman told the protesters at the beginning of the town hall as they began to yell out reactions while she spoke.

Throughout the event, however, the strong response from the crowd continued, with Hageman at one point telling a protester they should just yell when the supporters in the audience cheered, and later telling protesters that she would answer their question, adding "but you have to shut up." Audience members also yelled at one another throughout the event, including telling each other to "shut up," and complained of not being able to hear what Hageman was saying.

During the town hall, Rep. Hageman also asked Joe Barbuto, the Wyoming Democratic Party Chair, to join her at the podium for a moment. She noted that she's worked with him before even though they disagree, and she thinks he's "doing a good job leading the Democratic Party," but she asked him for support in being able to speak.

"I'm going to ask you to show me some respect and to show all the other people in this room some respect as to why I'm here," Hageman said. "I came here to talk to people about what is going on."

"Madame Representative, the miscalculation I think you're making is that the people upset with you here are only Democrats. That's not true," Barbuto replied. "We can have a respectful dialogue.... We want to hear what you have to say. We want to hear what you're working on. We don't need the rhetoric.... Tell us where you stand on the issues, tell us what you're going to do, and then give us plenty of time to ask questions."

Some of the topics Hageman addressed during the town hall included praising the Laken Riley Act for being the first bill signed into law by President Donald Trump, explaining the budget resolution being worked on by Congress, sharing which committees and subcommittees she's part of, and describing some of the bills she's introduced and supported, such as the Seventh Amendment Restoration Act. Hageman also discussed specific issues she's been working on. She said she has been "championing legislation that is specific to Wyoming," including addressing the coal moratorium and pushing back against the Rock Springs and Buffalo Resource Management Plans. Having met with local elected officials earlier in the day, Hageman said they had a good conversation and that things are moving in a "great direction" in order to protect industries, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, recreation and wildlife. She also addressed her efforts to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service maintains rural delivery and keep a processing and distribution center in Wyoming.

During the question and answer portion of the town hall, some of the questions asked related to local mine safety, the impact of trade wars on prices, cuts to services for veterans, support for school lunch programs, the future of the Department of Education, funding for mental health support, concerns about social security, accountability for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), support for railroad workers, and the future of recreation and public lands.

For many people's concerns, Hageman explained that things they are worried about aren't actually happening, such as saying that 83,000 Veterans Affairs employees aren't being laid off and social security is not being cut.

"I'm telling you the truth," Hageman responded when audience members accused her of lying.

Many in the audience were not satisfied with Hageman's responses, including Marshal Cummings, the union president of United Steelworkers Local 13214. During the town hall, Cummings asked Hageman about the plan for DOGE to cut the Mine Safety and Health Administration Green River Field Office. Hageman responded that the process to remove the Green River Field Office started under the last administration and was not done by DOGE. Cummings, however, said he has spoken to both the Green River Field Office and the Denver Field Office, and they were unaware of the cut until recently. The cut is also listed on the DOGE website as a effort to save over $45,000 a year.

With a mixture of support and frustration, the town hall discussion ended after an hour, with many protesters staying to hold their signs as people dispersed.

"I think everywhere she's gone in the state so far, she's run into something similar, as far as demonstrations about what's happening," Joe Barbuto commented about Hageman's town hall events. "And I hope that does have an effect," he added.

Barbuto commented that the town halls shouldn't just be a "victory lap" for Hageman to hear from supporters.

"She doesn't only represent people who agree with her view," he said. "She represents everyone in the state of Wyoming. We're all her constituents, and so she needs to make sure she sees what we have to say and hears what we have to say at events like this."

Some local elected officials, however, expressed frustration over the way people acted during the town hall, including Commissioner Island Richards, who attended the event.

"I would like to remind people that there are time, place, and manner restrictions on the first amendment rights to petition their government," Richards said. "It doesn't give you the unlimited right to disrupt or interfere with either official or unofficial proceedings and to prevent others from having their voices heard."