Protesters call on Rep. Meehan to resign
SPRINGFIELD » A double whammy of back-to-back protests outside the local district office of U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan carried a shared sentiment Thursday: It’s time for the congressman to resign.
Chants included “Shame! Shame! Shame!” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Pat Meehan’s got to go!” from the 40plus in attendance at the early noon rally. At one point, protesters broke out in song: “Hit the road, Pat, and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more ...” as they stood along Sproul Road Thursday afternoon.
Meehan, R-7th Dist., has been embroiled in a controversy since Saturday when the New York Times published a story indicating the four-term congressman used taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment complaint by a former aide. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan quickly removed Meehan from the House Ethics Committee and an investigation at Meehan’s request is underway.
On Tuesday, the four-term incumbent spoke publicly about the matter, saying he did not force any physical actions on the aide but that he did verbalize the affection he had for her upon learning that she was going to marry her boyfriend. The attorney representing the aide, Alexis Ronickher, said her client would not comment on the case, but would cooperate with the ethics investigation.
A series of protests Thursday began with a noon contingent of mostly indivisible groups and coincided with regularly scheduled third Thursday demonstrations that have targeted the congressman’s office on such issues as the Affordable Care Act and the Republican tax reform plan.
A later afternoon rally featured two members of the group Citizens for Liberty, Jane Taylor Toal and Jim Zerbe, soliciting honks from passersby.
“To use taxpayer dollars, that’s highly unethical,” said Toal. “If it were myself being accused of something, I would be shouting it from the rooftops about my innocence. I would take the person to court to prove my innocence. You don’t pay somebody if you’re innocent. You fight to prove it.”
Standing with the early afternoon group, Victoria Brown of Havertown said she was dumbfounded.
“This guy who has touted himself as the big ethics crusader, against the misuse of taxpayer money and for transparency in government has used taxpayer money to silence a woman and then claim that they were soul mates,” she said. “It just doesn’t pass the sniff test for me.”
She said she read the letter Meehan had written to his former staffer.
“If I were in her circumstances, I would be so creeped out,” Brown said, adding that the whole scenario was embarrassing. “If he wanted to talk to somebody else about a conflict, I could see him going to his pastor or a therapist, any of that would have been fine. You don’t go to the woman and lay (it) out ... that’s unprofessional.”
Democratic Party leaders were among those taking part in the early rally.
“His behavior is unacceptable,” said Lani Frank, vice chairwoman of the Chester County Democratic Party, as she stood along Sproul Road. “His response to that behavior is unacceptable and the use of taxpayer dollars is unacceptable, making a subordinate feel uncomfortable in his office and using his power is unacceptable.
“So,” she continued, “at every level, he has demonstrated his inability to serve with ethics and we deserve better for representatives.”
Mike Balay of Indivisible Main Line South spoke of his own placard.
“My sign used to say, ‘Please find your moral compass, Pat Meehan,’ but now we know he’s lost it completely,” the Newtown Square resident said. “Then, I was referring to policy. Now, we’re referring to a complete abuse of power.”
He said the Democrats have been eyeing this district for some time, although he expects the protests to continue, adding one a rush hour on the first Monday of the month and another on the fourth Sunday to join the third Thursday one.
Balay said, in his opinion, Meehan’s severe breach of conduct occurred when he used taxpayer money to cover something up.
Balay’s wife, Francine, had her own words.
“As a woman, I am so offended by this ongoing boys’ club,” she said. “This has got to stop – men protecting men instead of protecting all of us as human beings is totally inappropriate in my mind.”
“He should not run, absolutely,” said Toal. “And since he did use the taxpayer dollar, how unethical is that? He should resign. …It should be illegal, but it’s just very immoral.”
“You’re admitting you’re guilty of something by paying somebody off,” added Jim Zerbe, another member of Citizens for Liberty. “They have a bunch of money they can do what they want with it. There’s no accountability. They need to be held accountable for what they do with our tax money.”
Toal instead extolled the virtues of her Republican pick for the seat, Joe Billie, a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime firefighter.
“He’s just a man with ethics and morality, integrity and principle,” she said. “And that’s what we need.”
While not disputing the particulars of the incident, Meehan has denied any sexual impropriety and said the use of public funds was done in accordance with Ethics Committee guidelines and cleared by counsel.
He has indicated he will not step down and intends to seek re-election in the Republican primary in May. He could face not only strong opposition from a crowd of Democratic hopefuls, but a challenge from his own party in the primary.
Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District includes portions of Delaware, Montgomery, Chester, Berks and Lancaster counties.