Harris Says He Won't Hold In-Person Town Halls On Obamacare, Until New Bill Is Introduced

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Rep. Andy Harris isn't putting much stock in the angry crowds faced by fellow Republican lawmakers at hometown town halls.

"This is George Soros-funded, it's nationwide, it's an organized, it's obviously an anti-Trump organization that just wants to cause trouble," the Cockeysville Republican told C4 Tuesday. "They don't want to hear at town hall meetings, they want to disrupt town hall meetings."

Harris referenced the group Indivisible. A board member of that group stressed to CNN that none of their money comes of the billionaire investor often tied to liberal causes.

That's why, Harris said, he's moving to virtual town halls, with the first one to be held Thursday. Constituents will be able to call in with questions. Harris said he fully expects to get questions on Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan yet ready.

"We're going to answer the tough questions people ask," Harris said.

Harris said he will hold real-world town halls around his district when the plan to replace the law is put forward later this year.

He said any replacement plan would keep popular components like barring insurers from discriminating against those with pre-existing conditions and letting children continue on their parents' plan until age 26.

"We'll create plans that are much more affordable," Harris said. "The bottom line is that unless you're getting a subsidy, the ACA has driven up the price of insurance up to where it's just un-affordable."

House GOP leaders last week didn't go as far as Harris did in questioning the protesters' motives. However, they took time during a regular meeting of their conference this past week to give lawmakers "best practices" advice for dealing with them, including to treat protesters with courtesy and respect, consider hiring security or a moderator for town hall gatherings, or even "kill them with kindness" by offering cookies or coffee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.