The large crowd at Scott Peters’ town hall meeting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, 2/20/17. Screen capture from NBC7.
He’s the Democratic Congressman for District 52 – the Congressional District that includes Ocean Beach and Point Loma – and his name is Scott Peters. Last night at the Islamic Center of San Diego, there were so many people crowded into the large room, that he called it the largest town hall meeting he’d ever seen – all because of Trump, he said.
Estimates of the crowd range from over 200 to about 150 – and included several OBceans at least – but whatever the number, the town hall meeting at Eckstrom Avenue in San Diego was lively as Peters fielded questions from the audience on immigration, Trump’s border wall, the EPA, and how to deal with the Trump administration.
Peters stated from the podium that on the issue of immigration policy, a proposed border wall would not serve national security interests and would hurt the local economy. Peters declared that there’s problems with Trump’s White House, that he believes there is a definite link to Russia.
Peters reportedly said:
“It seems like people thought they hired this sophisticated business man. He seems to have no clue how to organize this administration.”
The Congressman also emphasized that connecting with moderate Republicans in Congress was important, that not all Republicans supported everything that Trump says or does. He said:
“Making our national security apparatus a political operation that serves the presidential political operation, rather than our national security – that’s definitely not Republican.”
Regarding the travel ban, Peters said: “That’s not who we are.”
Most in the crowd were upset with Trump and supportive of Peters. Kristen Ampla stated:
“I really want to make it clear that we need to save the Affordable Care Act. If the Affordable Care Act dies, I think San Diegans die.”
Donna Smith said:
“I want to tell him that he needs to get the Republicans and Democrats together to get along, make things happen in Washington, because they’re really not.”
One man did get up to the microphone who held a sign about remembering 9-11 who said how dare Peters hold a meeting in an Islamic Center, implying that it had something to do with the attacks. He was roundly booed by the audience.
However, at one point, Peters drew heat himself after he made a comment about having to rely on the Muslim community to share information about suspected terrorists in its midst, One Muslim woman called him on it, criticizing him for implying that that is all their community is good for, and they Muslim community is his constituency. Peters did backtrack and made some kind of apology.
Peters and others in the audience urged people to get involved politically. Ampla said:
“We need to use that power because we do have a lot of power politically to make our voices heard. We have the power commercially with our wallets and we need to do that in a respectful and inclusive way.”
Congressman Peters will be holding another town hall meeting on March 13th, but the time or location haven’t been determine.
News sources:
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
“The Congressman also emphasized that connecting with moderate Republicans in Congress was important” – like him?
He joined the No Labels Caucus when he first got to the Congress and when he held a meeting in OB (Masonic Hall?) I asked him why. His answer was satisfactory, in my opinion.
It’s an effort to bring disparate opinions to a concensus if I understand correctly. I don’t know if they’ve disbanded, but it’s a question we need to ask when he comes again.
He should have built consensus when he was council president. I recall many times he yelled at Ms. Frye or cut her off.
Guess I shoulda watched more town council meetings.
I wrote in Donna’s name, btw. If I had seen that, I think I would be calling him on it these days. Hopefully he has mellowed.