Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) canceled intra-district office hours in four different locations this past week, but said it’s not because he’s afraid to face angry constituents.
Staff from the nine-term Congressman’s office was slated to attend meetings Feb. 25 in Oakdale, Riverbank, and Modesto, and in Mariposa on Feb. 27, but those meetings were abruptly canceled.
Town-hall-type meetings across the country have resulted in constituents pushing back against the Trump Administration’s slashing of federal programs and staffing. According to published reports, GOP leadership advised all its House members to stop holding such meetings in order to avoid scenes that become viral internet clips.
“No, that’s my decision, not theirs,” said McClintock, referring to Republican leadership. “These were staff office hours that have been held for years to assist constituents seeking help with federal agencies, instead of having them drive to the district offices. In recent weeks, they have been disrupted by people wanting to protest Trump’s policies. When some of those encounters became heated, I agreed with our staff to suspend them until tempers cooled.”
McClintock, who represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes a portion of Turlock, said there are no immediate plans to reschedule the meetings.
Freshman Rep. Adam Gray (D-Merced), said while he’s not familiar with GOP marching orders, he’s not surprised to see Republicans canceling public events.
“They just passed a budget that would make devastating cuts to health care access via programs like Medi-Cal in California,” said Gray, who represents the 13th Congressional District, which also includes a chunk of Turlock. “Access to health care is life or death. It makes sense to me that people would be mad about that and express that anger to the elected officials making these decisions.”
With a push from President Trump, House Republicans passed a budget blueprint Tuesday, with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts despite a wall of opposition from Democrats.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had almost no votes to spare and fought on all fronts — against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators — to advance the party’s signature legislative package. The final vote was 217-215, with a single Republican and all Democrats opposed.
It’s all unfolding amid backlash to what’s happening elsewhere as Elon Musk, Trump’s billionaire adviser, is tearing through federal agencies with his Department of Government Efficiency.
McClintock said constituents can still make their concerns known to him.
“We maintain two district offices in Modesto and El Dorado Hills that serve constituents,” McClintock Said. “We just did a tele-town-hall conference call with constituents last week and will continue conducting them. And our staff is always available by phone.”
Gray, meanwhile, is moving quickly to set up public events.
“My office is working with communities across the five counties in my congressional district to set up mobile office hours, where my staff and I will be able to hear from folks and help them open cases with federal agencies,” said Gray, who served five terms in the state assembly from 2012 to 2022. “For my entire career in public service, my priority has been listening to and delivering for our communities. That will never change.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
