07/31/18 Statement on Rep. Brat’s Constituent Meetings in August Recess

 

Press Release: Joe Walton for Congress Statement on Rep. Brat’s Constituent Meetings in August Recess

Joe Walton for Congress – VA 7^th District
For Immediate Release: 07/31/2018
804-476-0768
press@joeforvirginia.com

Joe for Virginia Statement on Rep. Brat’s Constituent Meetings in August Recess
Elected officials must be accountable to their constituents.

Powhatan, Virginia: The recently reported (via Blue Virginia HERE at https://bluevirginia.us/2018/07/dave-brat-feels-the-heat-announces-mobile-office-hours, direct link from Rep. Brat cannot be located on his official websites) announcement of Rep. Dave Brat’s August recess constituent meeting scenario is deeply troubling and a malfeasance of representation. Rep. Brat is indicating he will only meet with pre-registered constituents residing in the county in which he is currently meeting.  He will not permit recording devices and expects the meetings to be ten minutes and his window of meetings is planned for 90 minutes.

There is so much more to effectively representing people than 10-minute slots.

Joe Walton, the Libertarian candidate for the 7th District, believes this wholly inadequate for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and in no way makes up for the fact Rep. Brat has not had an open-to-the-public town hall for over a year.

When Joe was on the Board of Supervisors he created committees and held district meetings quarterly or more frequently for controversial issues. Indeed, some of the issues required formation of countywide appointed groups of residents and full reports to the Board of Supervisors (all available on his archive Supervisor website HERE at https://www.joewalton.com/wp-content/errata-sites/joe/support.htm) He was there every day of his elected service and participated in meetings, hearings, and countywide emergencies.

We know Representative Brat won’t do this, he hasn’t for four years and is not doing so even now as the pressure of a mid-term election cycle grows.  Democrat Spanberger, the third candidate in the race for the 7th District, is unproven as an effective representative! Let’s think for a change, VA-07 and elected a proven leader in Joe Walton.

About Joe for Virginia: Joe Walton is a candidate for Virginia’s 7^th Congressional District and a proven accountable and effective leader in central Virginia.  He is a sensible centrist with a genuine interest in working with constituents, leaders across the state, and federal peers to solve problems in Washington.  He believes in and advocates for socially inclusive and fiscally responsible approaches to public policy.  He holds a Master of Public Administration degree and is a Ph.D. student in Public Policy at VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.

Learn more: Web: www.joeforvirginia.com | Twitter: @joeforvirginia | Facebook: @joeforvirginia

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