Faso protesters not being denied access

Dear Editor: Re “Protest group decries lack of access to Rep. Faso’s Kingston office, July 27, 2017: It’s a nonstory, without merit and undeserving of publication. And, to be clear, I write as someone who is no fan of U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, is a registered Democrat, is a member of the city of Kingston and Ulster County Democratic committees, is a frequent protester participant at Faso Fridays, and whose business has been based in the Seven21 Media Center (where Faso’s office is located) since 2011.

First, the protocol for the Faso Fridays pop-up office on the first floor has been in place for at least five months.

Second, protesters are not denied access to the building or to Faso’s staff. The staff set up a pop-up office on the first floor, inside the front doors, to greet people and take information and questions in the same manner they would in the upstairs office. So what access has been denied? If protesters are meeting with Faso’s staff, why does it matter if on the first floor or second?

No rights have been restricted. More importantly, this is not a political matter, just building operations protocol with no bias or partisanship.

I can name dozens of issues on which to legitimately criticize Faso, but this isn’t one of them. The faux indignation from Indivisible Ulster undermines the work of those who have valid issues with Faso, and it smears the building management.

Neil B. Millens, Kingston