This Afternoon Let Baumgartner Know the Level of Your Frustration--Politely

Town Hall at Whitworth--Tickets long sold out (last Friday)--See message below

U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-CD5 Eastern Washington) is holding a town hall this afternoon at the Cowles Auditorium at Whitworth University. The town hall runs just one hour from 6PM to 7PM, but (as you can read below) although the doors won’t open 5:30, many people will be arriving between 4 and 5. Tickets are sold out but I expect there will be many people on the public sidewalks probably both on Whitworth Avenue and extending along Division. Bring your walking shoes and warm clothing. It is unclear if you are allowed park on campus without demonstrating that you have a ticket to the event, so you may need to park some distance away.

Mr. Baumgartner held a separate town hall in Ritzville this morning that was well attended by well-behaved people who asked some tough questions.

Below I’ve copied a message I received this morning about this evening’s event:

Dear Friends,

If you did not get a ticket for Michael Baumgartner’s Town Hall Meeting tomorrow evening, (there were none available after a few hours!!) and you would like to have your voices heard somehow, you are welcome to come to be on the sidewalk lining the entrance to Whitworth University with signs or sounds!

(This gathering is not sponsored by any organization, as Baumgartner’s staff has made all arrangements with the University. ). There will be a police presence….including campus police, and the Spokane Police Department.

The following was received from Dan Lambert, who has done a splendid job of keeping our folks safe! He met with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office yesterday [Whitworth is located outside the city limits of the City of Spokane]. Here are his comments:

“The police [sheriff’s deputies]” are there to protect our 1st amendment rights and to help assure safety for all participants. The comment was made several times to me that they were very pleased with our efforts to keep participants safe from within our own organization. This included paying attention to traffic laws, addressing the participants with the bullhorn to stay back away from the face of the curb a few feet, not to jaywalk, staying out of the traffic medians, paying attention to the “line of sight”at the intersections, and generally engaging the public in a positive way…..

My plan (Dan Lambert’s) is to be on the Whitworth campus around 4:00 pm to help where I can….You will be able to clearly identify me by the fellow wearing the 100X black Stetson cowboy hat...."

Come about 5:00 pm if you wish! The doors open to the meeting at 5:30. Ted Cummings said he will lead us in chants with a bullhorn, which will be fun!

Keep it respectful and:

Keep to the high ground,

Jerry