My wife, daughter and I decided to take a Sunday drive to do some photography. After a really great afternoon we decided to stop at the Ye Olde Mill, the Velvet ice cream museum and restaurant, to get a treat (I highly recommend this).
While there I picked up a copy of The Utica Herald and saw an interesting article. An article that probably won't appear in the MSM.
[text, article]
Congressman Zack Space Refuses to Meet with Local Constituents After Tea Party
Coach Dave Daubenmire of "Pass the Salt Ministries" and a handful of dedicated citizens drove across three counties last night in an attempt to secure a face to face meeting with their Congressman. When finally located, Congressman Space refused to speak to this small, but hearty group.
Over a hundred protesters endured the rain on Wednesday afternoon to attend a Tea Party in order to exercise their right of "Freedom of Speech." There were protesters from at least 5 counties in the district: Licking. Muskingum, Knox, Coshocton and Tuscarawas. There was also a petition passed around to collect signatures that urge Space to vote "NO" on the "unconstitutional" health care bill. There was a vaiety of speakers there to represent people from both parties and Independents. All spoke about the government over stepping the Constitution. "They think the Bill of Rights are privileges they give us, but in reality they are limits that we place on them" speaker Beau Bromberg said.
After the 4 pm Tea-Party outside of Congressman Space's Zanesville, Ohio office, Coach Daubenmire and his crew drove the hour to a private location where Congressman Space was holding a "fundraiser." A local Knox County Deputy stood guard at the house to prevent the group from attending the meeting.
The group appealed to Congressman Space or any one of his handlers to please come out and speak with them. The gol of the group was to schedule a "town hall meeting" for a later date where Congressman Space could look into the eyes of those he represents.
For three hours, the group waited for someone from the Congressman's office to speak with. Instead of responding to the group's civil request, Congressman Space snuck out or the residence under the cover of darkness.
From Knox County, Ohio:
Space declined to address mediaRep. Zack Space sent word through a sheriff’s deputy at a fundraiser he attended Wednesday night that he would address citizens’ concerns but not in the presence of news media outlets.
Less than a dozen constituents from Space’s 18th District traveled from as far away as Muskingum County, hoping to catch the congressman as he left the home of Linda and Peter Michaels on New Gambier Road.
Space had been the featured guest at a campaign fundraiser for the Knox County Democratic Women’s Club, a private event where a Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy stood guard at the end of the driveway to keep out uninvited guests.
A group gathered along the roadside with a Fox News cameraman and reporters who were hoping for an opportunity to meet with Space.
Just after the event, at least two attendees hurled insults as they exited Michaels’ driveway, one an attorney and former village councilman from Gambier who gave a middle finger to those standing by. Others stopped to hold conversations or left politely.
Bob Denny, an advertising sales representative from Baltimore, traveled from a gathering at Space’s Zanesville office with a group of friends. He said he’s troubled that Space has refused to hold a town-hall style meeting with constituents.
“People want to talk to him face to face. They want to read his body language, look him in the eye and they want to see truth,” said Denny. “There are 535 people in Washington controlling 300 million plus and they’re not listening to the majority.”
On the other side was Ada Jacobs, whose husband knew Space from his days as a student at Kenyon College. She attended the fundraiser and said Space had made the decision to meet with smaller groups because he felt they’d be more effective than town hall meetings.
“This was announced to many people, and they had the opportunity to come,” she said.
However, Linda Michaels told radio station WMVO in a telephone call on Monday that event was private, despite an invitation on a public portion the Knox County Democratic Party’s website.
Jacobs said Space answered a myriad of questions on current health care reform proposals, but declined to speak about portions of the bill he was unfamiliar with, like nonprofit co-ops.
“He didn’t play games,” she said. “He said he needed to do some more research.”
Others, like Coach Dave Daubenmire, weren’t happy to learn that Space wouldn’t meet in the presence of reporters. The well-known religious commentator and demonstrator said he was turned away at the door earlier in the evening, but was told by a sheriff’s deputy that he could come back to meet with the congressman.
“I’d like to have a conversation with Zack Space out here for all the world to see – not go back and hide in some room and let him come out and tell a different story…” he said. “I’ve called his office four times and he would not return my call.”
Space has been under increasing pressure recently following his vote against an amendment prohibiting illegal aliens from receiving health benefits. Space introduced his own amendment a short time later which he said was binding, but critics say it lacks language that would require proof of citizenship.
Calls to Space’s Zanesville office have gone unanswered.
But Space has time to travel 50 mile outside of the district to a fundraiser in Bexley, Ohio with DC bigwigs:
Space fundraiser to feature U.S. agriculture secretary
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak will headline a fundraiser next Sunday in Bexley for Democratic U.S. Rep. Zack Space of Dover.
The evening event will be held in the home of David Wilhelm, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and manager of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. Wilhelm's home is outside of Space's 18th Congressional District.
Those attending the Space fundraiser in Bexley are being asked to contribute at one of four levels ranging from $250 to $2,400.
Group to petition Space for town hall meeting on health care
And in Zanesville, Ohio, small businessmen demanded the same from Congressman Zack Space where, according to one activist-businessman, “his August schedule was set months ago. Mr. Space apparently can’t set aside a single day to meet with us.”
Apparently, Congressman Space feels safer in Afghanistan than in his Ohio district.
Brown, Space visit Afghanistan
Maybe not, since the US has given Afghanistan the right to be free, maybe they'll ask some questions he wants to avoid.
