Issa faces critics and supporters
The congressman spends time answering questions from regular protesters as Trump backers show support.
The congressman’s appearance comes after complaints that he has failed to listen to his constituents.
VISTA, Calif. — Telling supporters and protesters gathered outside his Vista office that calm and civil discourse is what America needs now more than ever, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa spent nearly 90 minutes Tuesday morning answering a wide range of questions about the controversial policies of President Trump.
The Republican’s impromptu appearance came after weeks of public criticism from many constituents who have held protests outside his office each Tuesday accusing him of failing to hear their concerns about Trump’s immigration policies and the repeal of Obamacare, among other things, and demanding a face-to-face meeting. Issa said this was his first Tuesday in town since the weekly protests began.
He took questions on whether he would support an investigation into Trump’s connections with Russia, and on his views on White House senior advisor Stephen K. Bannon, healthcare reform and immigration, including the ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Issa said Trump’s emergency travel ban was flawed and that it’s important that the administration craft a replacement executive order that would “be vetted in advance, that myself as a senior member of [the] Foreign Affairs [Committee] have input into it, and that we can in fact make sure that we keep America safe, but we also keep America welcoming.”
On healthcare — the focus of most of Issa’s remarks — the congressman referenced a bill he is introducing to repeal and replace Obamacare. Issa said his Access to Insurance for All Americans Act would give all Americans access to the insurance plans provided to federal employees and their families.
“The fact is the Affordable Care Act has a problem, and the problem is that only sick people are signing up for the exchanges and that’s why the rates are going up so high,” he told the crowd. “I’m offering a piece of legislation to try to bring more healthy people into the exchanges.”
On Tuesday morning, roughly 75 Trump supporters were the first to arrive at Issa’s office, holding their own rally around 9 a.m. urging Issa to support the president. Within an hour they were outnumbered by about 150 protesters. The two groups shouted at each other for a short time, settling down when Issa emerged from his office.
His appearance took place several hours before a planned town hall in Vista on Tuesday evening that was organized by groups hoping to pin Issa down on healthcare reform. Issa’s spokesman said last week that the congressman had other commitments that would prevent him from attending, but Tuesday morning Issa told the group, and later reporters, that he would try to be there.
“If there is truly a bipartisan group there and if they’re there long enough, I’ll try to make it,” he said. “I think this morning we got a lot of this done so I’m not sure it’s essential, but I certainly would like to make it to any forum.”
Issa was courteous to the morning crowd, and called on critics and supporters alike. He said such gatherings are good for democracy.
“We go a little bit in the right direction toward positive discourse that will allow us to really, really, get some solutions on immigration, on healthcare, and about a Middle East that is blowing up,” he said.
Before Issa appeared protesters had been chanting, “Where is Issa?” and, “We were not paid!” in reference to comments by the nearby Trump supporters that they had heard protesters were being paid for their time.
Sheriff ’s deputies monitored the crowd and took a couple of reports from protesters who said they were shoved and threatened near where Issa stood. One man was questioned, but it was unknown whether he was cited.
Trump supporter Patty Siegmann of Oceanside spent more than an hour chanting, “Repeal Obamacare” while holding a massive Trump campaign sign.
“We support our president and we support Congressman Issa and we just can‘t afford Obamacare anymore,” she said.
Lenore Greiner of Indivisible North San Diego County — a group that has helped organized the weekly protests — said she was surprised and happy that Issa came and spoke Tuesday morning, but still hoped he would also attend the town hall later.
“I was very pleased that he showed up because we’ve been out here every Tuesday for four weeks trying to get a town hall,” she said. “He spent a lot of time with us and gave very thoughtful answers.”
She said she was especially happy with his stance on immigration, which she felt recognized how important undocumented workers are to the state’s agricultural economy.
On that topic, Issa said: “The real question is how do we transition from a failed system to one that succeeds. And I’ll tell you, we should start with farm labor. We should have an effective program for farm labor that encourages people to come here under a guest worker program to work and to help get their countries doing better.”
A nine-term congressman, Issa narrowly defeated challenger Doug Applegate on Nov. 8, winning reelection by about .6 percentage points, or 1,600 votes.