National unrest ripples at a local level

Unrest connected to incidents happening at a national level continues to be felt throughout Wyoming and Sweetwater County, from concerns over local access to Social Security to Tesla-related vandalism to changes in town hall formats following protests.

Social Security access

Last week, Sweetwater County residents became concerned over whether or not the Rock Springs Social Security office would close, although it was later confirmed that the office will remain open.

On Thursday, March 20, an article was published by the Associated Press titled "A list of the Social Security offices across the US expected to close this year." It shared a list of Social Security Administration offices that had been included in reports from the Department of Government Efficiency of nearly 800 federal real estate leases DOGE is planning to cancel. The AP article then listed the addresses of the Social Security offices by state, including the office at 79 Winston Drive in Rock Springs.

"Yesterday my office began receiving calls from constituents concerned by a media article reporting that the Rock Springs Social Security Office was closing," Representative Harriet Hageman posted on social media on Friday, March 21. "I immediately reached out to the agency and was able to confirm that the news was inaccurate. The Rock Springs Social Security Office will remain open for business and operating as usual."

According to Hageman, the lease being canceled is for one room, not the office as a whole.

"The agency has canceled the lease for an ancillary hearing room they no longer use and those hearings will now be held at an alternative location," Hageman said.

The Social Security Administration's website, ssa.gov, includes a page discussing "efficiencies and cost avoidance." A section called "soft-term lease agreements" explains that the SSA is working with the General Services Administration to terminate 64 leases, which the site says "will save over $4 million in annual rent." A spreadsheet available on the page lists the 64 leases, their locations, and notes on the leases. The majority of them, including the Rock Springs location, are described as "hearings permanent remote sites."

"This is a small hearings PRS, which is a room within another SSA office," the notes on the spreadsheet explained for the Rock Springs lease and other similar locations. "As most of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearings sites."

The concerns over the local office closing came after other national news indicating that the Social Security Administration will be making changes to identity verification procedures, including requiring more in-person checks at field offices.

Concerned over access to social security, local residents who are part of the 50501 Wyoming group, a group that organizes protests, began discussing plans for a "Social Security Saturday" protest. However, once it became clear that the office will remain open, the protest was canceled.

Tesla vandalism

On the morning of Saturday, March 22, the Rock Springs Police Department received a call about vandalism to the Tesla charging stations located by the White Mountain Mall at 2441 Foothill Boulevard.

"When officers arrived on scene they observed that four of the charging stations had Swastikas spray painted on them," the RSPD explained in a press release. "It is likely that the damage is related to the nationwide vandalism targeted at Tesla."

The vandalism is believed to have occurred sometime between the late night hours on March 21 and the early morning hours of March 22, according to the press release. Officers are collecting surveillance video from nearby business to gather more information, RSPD said, and the investigation is ongoing. The RSPD has asked anyone with information on the case to call the Sweetwater Combined Communication Center and reference case number R25- 04943.

Tele-town halls

With protests and vandalism on the rise, Wyoming Representative Harriet Hageman announced this week that she will no longer be hosting in-person town hall events. She will instead use tele-town halls and virtual settings, including for her upcoming town halls in Cheyenne and Torrington.

Hageman's office put out a press release on Tuesday saying the representative is "changing the way town hall meetings with constituents are conducted, at least in the short-term, based on recent incidents at public events, credible threats to Hageman, and the related national outbursts of politically motivated violence and attempts at intimidation."

Following her town hall in Sweetwater County on March 15, which was attended by a number of protesters, Hageman went on to attend scheduled town halls in Laramie and Wheatland. The Laramie town hall had hundreds of protesters who booed, yelled and cursed during the event.

"Because of the events in Laramie, more than 20 officers from multiple agencies were assigned to keep the peace at a town hall in Wheatland the next day on March 20," Hageman's press release explained. "Despite the law enforcement presence, an attendee followed Hageman leaving the venue and initiated a physical confrontation with staff, into which local police were forced to intervene. Hageman also reported that staff in her Washington, D.C. and Wyoming offices have received numerous, credible threatening phone calls and emails, currently being investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies."

"I thank our wonderful law enforcement community for their willingness to support the public and myself while participating in our government process," Hageman said. "It has become apparent, however, that the continuation of in-person town halls will be a drain on our local resources due to safety concerns for attendees."

Hageman criticized national Democratic Party leaders like Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for encouraging "public eruptions and interruptions of what can be described as civil unrest, at best, or domestic terrorism, at worst," in her press release. She also pointed to the national rise in vandalism at Tesla dealerships and an increase in "swatting" targeted at elected officials.

"As the saying goes, 'This is why we can't have nice things,'" Hageman said, further explaining her decision to change the town hall format. "It's no secret that I am willing to engage with citizens on any topic, in any place. But I draw the line when organized protestors intentionally create confrontation and chaos, escalating tensions to a point where violence seems inevitable. It's not safe for the peaceful citizens who want to come out to speak to their elected representative face to face. It's not safe for attendees, it's not safe for law enforcement, and it doesn't do anything to encourage a meaningful dialogue at all."

Following Hageman's announcement, the Wyoming Democratic Party issued a statement in response, calling the decision to cancel town halls "disappointing."

"These events are supposed to be a cornerstone of representative democracy-a chance for constituents to speak directly with their elected officials, share concerns, ask tough questions, and hold leaders accountable," the statement said. "Choosing to end them undercuts transparency and sends the message that she'll only engage with the public on her terms. Instead of listening to the people of Wyoming, she's now blaming them, dismissing their concerns as part of an unfounded national conspiracy. The fact is, when leaders ignore or dismiss their constituents, avoid tough questions, or stoke division with inflammatory rhetoric, they create an environment of frustration and distrust. That's not solved by retreating behind virtual filters-it's solved by rebuilding trust, showing up, and answering questions honestly."

The Democratic Party added that they do not condone violence, threats, or harassment, and that they do support investigation into such incidents, wanting elected officials and their staff to stay safe.

"But protest is not violence," the statement continued. "It is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution. Using peaceful dissent as an excuse to avoid public accountability does a disservice to the people of Wyoming, their voices should matter. If Rep. Hageman finds the public's response uncomfortable, maybe the issue isn't with the people-it's with the record she's defending. Leadership means showing up, even when it's hard."