Michael Izzo

@MIzzoDR

BOONTON – Hundreds of U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen’s constituents packed the Jam-E-Masjid Islamic Center Tuesday evening for a town hall. The only person missing was the congressman.

"I am aware that certain groups have scheduled what they are calling 'town hall meetings' and I applaud the effort,” Frelinghuysen (R-11) said in a statement. “I am happy that they are exercising their First Amendment rights to engage on the big issues of the day and endorse their right to free expression. But my goal is not argument. My goal is to continue the same civil discourse I have had with my constituents over the years.”

The town hall was hosted by NJ 11th for Change. The grassroots group has been showing up at Frelinghuysen’s office every Friday asking for a face-to-face with their congressman to discuss the issues through a town hall or similar face-to-face meeting. Two Fridays ago, the group delivered a petition signed by 2,500 constituents requesting a town hall. Frelinghuysen has not held one since 2013.

“We’re here today to address the gap between constituents and their congressmen,” said Farrah Jan of NJ 11th for Change. “If you’re not connecting with the people, then you’re not serving them right.”

Since Frelinghuysen did not agree to meet with them directly, NJ 11th for Change scheduled four town halls in each of the counties he represents for him to attend the week Congress is in recess. The group planned to attend with or without their congressman.

The first town hall was Sunday in Sparta and drew enough of a crowd that they added a second one the same day. Boonton was the second event. The third was held Wednesday in Little Falls and the final town hall will be on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Liberty Middle School, 1 Kelly Drive, West Orange.

In Frelinghuysen’s absence Tuesday, NJ 11th for Change brought a panel of experts to discuss the variety of issues addressed at the town hall.

Those experts included Joel Cantor, professor of public policy at Rutgers University, Bill Cole, public school advocate and legislative chair for the Education Association of Morris, Diane Du Brule, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, Gordon MacInnes, chief executive of New Jersey Policy Perspective, New Jersey Assemblyman John McKeon (D-27), and immigration attorney Brian O’Neil.

About 350 people showed up for Tuesday evening’s town hall, too large of a crowd for the main room so about 100 people were annexed to a prayer room, removing their shoes and watching the meeting through a livestream.

Chip Robinson, Morris County Democratic Chairman, was among those in attendance, representing Morris County’s 86,000 registered Democrats.

“The overwhelming consensus among my constituency is they want Rodney Frelinghuysen to stand up to (President Donald) Trump,” Robinson said. “And they’re not seeing it.”

McKeon called out Frelinghuysen for avoiding his constituents’ request for a town hall.

“Unless you decide not to shop, not to get a cup of coffee, there’s nowhere to hide in your community,” McKeon said. “This is inexcusable.”

Major concerns of the constituents that attended, determined through a live poll, included women’s rights, oversight of the executive branch of government, and healthcare.

Cantor said it is clear Republicans are unsure how to proceed with their “repeal and replace” promises.

“They’re like the dog that caught the car,” Cantor said. “It was easy to oppose (universal health care) when there were no consequences. But changing something that affects 1/6th of the country, that’s going to be really hard to touch without breaking it.”

Du Brule said the ACLU, which views itself as non-partisan defenders of the U.S. constitution, received substantial donations following Trump’s inauguration, the Women’s March, and the travel ban executive order. She said the group plans to use those funds to build up state offices.

“We don’t have an opinion on Trump,” Du Brule said, “But we’re going to fight every one of his bad policies tooth and nail.”

O’Neil discussed why he, and the vast majority at the Islamic Center, opposed the travel ban executive order, commonly referred to as the “Muslim ban.”

“We are a country of immigrants,” O’Neil said. “That is a value that is special in America, and that is a value that should be sustained and encouraged.”

After each panelist introduced themselves and touched on key issues, they opened the floor to questions.

Ray Jalil of Rockaway asked Cole how to best combat Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and charter schools.

Cole cautioned that charter schools in and of themselves aren’t bad, and cutting them entirely likely isn’t the best solution.

“It needs to be done steadily and slowly, with care,” Cole said. “I’m cautiously optimistic we’re going to have a new (Democratic) governor that will change things.”

Danish Iabal of Boonton said he wanted to play “devil’s advocate” for the group. He wondered if Frelinghuysen attacking Trump could have negative repercussions for New Jersey.

“Frelinghuysen has to deal with Trump,” Iabal said. “How smart is it for him to get into a tiff with a very vindictive man?”

MacInnes said Frelinghuysen cannot simply sit idly by and stick to party loyalty without “paying the consequences” in the next election.

“The first fear of most elected officials is will they be reelected? That’s how you end up with people that were voted in as moderates all of a sudden going to the far right,” MacInnes said. “Now we have an objective goal, to unseat anyone who remains behind the buffer of party loyalty.”

Stacey Gregg of Rockaway Township said she’s met Frelinghuysen before and he was very friendly, but she was shocked he did not attend the town hall.

“How can my congressman stand behind the D.C. executive orders?” Gregg said. “He has nothing to lose. He’s already in.”

MacInnes again suggested it was about the congressman maintaining his position in the House of Representatives. Frelinghuysen was recently named chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, considered to be one of the most powerful committees in Congress.

“The requirement for retaining autonomy in the House is not to make waves and not to antagonize the far right,” MacInnes said. “That has been the case for years now. Rodney and (Rep. Leonard) Lance and were elected as moderates but have reacted to preserve their place.”

Cole noted that Lance is at least showing up to town halls.

Lance (R-7) held the first of two town halls Wednesday evening at the Edward Nash Theater on the campus of Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg. A second town hall was planned in the same location Saturday at 9 a.m.

Prior to the start of Tuesday’s town hall in Boonton, questions were also directed toward a cartoon cardboard cutout of Frelinghuysen. Constituents addressed “Rodney” directly, stating their concerns. NJ 11th then posted videos of the interactions to their social media platforms.

Paul Mahler, 66, of Pompton Plains, stood next to the cardboard cutout with a copy of George Orwell’s “1984,” which he also delivered to Frelinghuysen’s Morristown office.

“What I’m asking you to do is step up and speak out for the truth,” Mahler said. “Because if anything threatens our society, it’s normalizing lying. So, Rodney, when you get an opportunity back in Washington, please stand up for the truth.”

Copies of all the NJ 11th for Change town halls will be emailed and hand-delivered to Frelinghuysen’s office with the hope that he takes the time to watch them.

Prior to NJ 11th for Change’s Boonton town hall Tuesday evening, Frelinghuysen visited students at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta. He also participated in a “telephone town hall,” where he called up constituents and invited others to join him on the line. The call was invitation only.

“Great questions and comments during my Telephone Town Hall meeting last night!” Frelinghuysen tweeted Wednesday morning. “Thousands of constituents on the line, I'm listening!”

Lisa Freschi of Verona said she received a call Tuesday at about 5:30 p.m. to join the tele-town hall.

“Many questions were in regard to immigration, healthcare, defunding Planned Parenthood, and the current administration's general mode of operation,” Freschi said. “The constituents seemed anxious and concerned over Trump’s policies.”

Freschi said people were asking Frelinghuysen to speak on behalf of all of his constituents and pressed him to take specific stances on the topics mentioned.

“When asked why he hasn't had an in-person town hall in several years, he said it had to do with scheduling and being able to reach more people this way,” Freschi said. “People also were critical over the spontaneous manner of this call. No notice and no way to call in, people could only join if they were called.”

Debra Kaplan, one of the founding members of NJ 11th for Change, said the tele-town halls are not sufficient, and cannot replace a two-way, in-person conversation with their congressman.

Frelinghuysen expressed no interest in attending NJ 11th for Change’s town hall events, but promised more tele-town hall meetings.

"I will be continuing to visit all 54 communities in my district to meet with the people and listen to their concerns,” Frelinghuysen said in a statement. “And we'll be having more telephone town hall meetings so I can engage with as many people as possible. I invite all constituents attending this week's demonstrations to participate in our teletown hall meetings by passing along to our office a contact number."

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com