Isakson plans telephone town hall

Senator to hear concerns of citizens this evening.

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson has scheduled a telephone town hall meeting for 6 p.m. Thursday amid pressure from critics of President Donald Trump’s policies who have urged the senator and other Republican members of Congress to hear their concerns.

In Georgia, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter of Pooler was the only Republican member of Congress who scheduled public gatherings during last week’s congressional recess. Isakson, though, sent word Friday that he didn’t hold any public events because he was recovering from back surgery.

He and U.S. Sen. David Perdue have been targeted by weekly gatherings of dozens of demonstrators outside their offices demanding they hold town hall meetings. It was part of a wave of national protests that have rocked GOP events since Trump’s inauguration, even in deeply conservative bastions.

One of the largest protests took place at an event in early February led by aides to Isakson, Perdue and U.S. Rep. Jody Hice in the east Georgia town of Greensboro, where hundreds of demonstrators turned the “mobile office hours” gathering into a chance to make a statement.

Some voters who signed up to speak at the Isakson town hall have already received a call-in number. Others can listen and participate in the call-in town hall that will be livestreamed at https:// vekeo.com/senatorisakson/.