Barletta took significant heat from constituents during April town hall sessions. Barletta: No open town halls for me

Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), who ran for office badgering his opponent for not holding town hall meetings, has abandoned the format in favor of roundtable discussions with pre-selected groups, he told the Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Barletta is one of at least four “pay-per-view” members of Congress who POLITICO reported last week are appearing at public events that charge an admission fee, while skipping the public and free town-hall format during the August recess.


The first-term congressman and former Hazelton mayor told the Times Leader that people protesting at his office and his events asking “Where are the jobs?” should be directing their anger elsewhere.

“What other elected officials are having town hall meetings?” Barletta asked. “How can you blame someone who has been in office for eight months why no jobs are coming here? I hope these protesters are asking all elected officials, especially those that have been in office for years, what they are doing to bring jobs here.”

Barletta spokesman Shawn Kelly told POLITICO Tuesday that Barletta has not “ruled out” holding town hall meetings in the future but does not have any scheduled.

“We have looked for other formats in the meantime,” he said. “I’m not saying we’re never going to hold them.”

Earlier this month, Barletta spoke at a $30-per-plate “CEO-to-CEO” forum hosted by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry. He was one of the freshman members of Congress who took significant heat from constituents during April town hall sessions after Republicans introduced their budget proposal.

Reps. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) and Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) are also appearing at town-hall-style events that charge admission fees while not holding any free town halls.

In a story headlined “As town halls grow raucous, Barletta turns to roundtables,” the Times Leader notes that Barletta campaigned against former Democratic Rep. Paul Kanjorski’s refusal to hold town hall meetings after his events became hostile. Barletta said he will meet with 12 specific interest groups.

Kelly said Kanjorski’s situation “was different because he wouldn’t talk to anyone” while Barletta is meeting with various groups.

“I want to reach out to all of these groups to hear their concerns and to let them know what is being done on their behalf in Washington,” Barletta told the paper. “Obviously the political fires are very high here right now.”