Rep. Costello must hear concerns

I have personally called, visited and met with U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello’s staff four times at several of his offices. At each meeting I have invited Rep. Costello to attend our nonpartisan town hall. My first visit was Jan. 27, 2017. I was joined by two other constituents, one Republican, one former Republican. We invited our elected representative, Ryan Costello.

Many members of our informal group called his offices to request a town hall. We had a coordinated effort in late January to make it clear this was a serious request by many people.

Frustrated that our many requests had been rebuffed we were presented with the opportunity to book a venue at the Phoenixville High School. We decided to secure the venue on Feb. 9 and subsequently hold our meeting with or without our representative.

Before the Phoenixville Area School District board meeting on the evening of Feb. 9, I called Rep. Costello’s Washington, D.C., office and asked if I could fax him the invitation to the Town Hall.

I was told I had to mail the letter, which I did. I also asked the staffer taking my call to relay the invitation. I filled out his on-line “request a meeting” form. Many fellow District 6 constituents also filled out this online request once we had booked the auditorium.

We requested the venue with the understanding that the fee for public meetings is routinely waived.

I find it disturbing that Rep. Costello’s office sent a copy of a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint to The Mercury.

The individual who filed the FEC complaint is a member of the public Facebook page entitled, “Chester County for President Donald Trump,” which on its face appears partisan. In fact, there is an invitation to a fundraiser with Rep. Costello and a gubernatorial candidate by Mr. LaGarde. This appears to be an attempt by a partisan group to intimidate Rep Costello’s constituents from making our voices heard.

Further, the remarks ascribed to a “senior advisor to the campaign” in The Mercury press on Feb. 22 appear to be an attempt to bully the school board into charging us as if we are a partisan group.

We are not a political organization.

We do not fundraise. We do not support political candidates.

We are grateful to the Phoenixville Area School District for allowing us the use of a large venue. There were no known candidates running for election speaking to the group. It was only constituents, local voters, taxpayers, asking questions of their elected congressman. Whether he hears them in person or via recorded video and paper questions was entirely up to him.