BEND, OR -- A group calling on Congressman Greg Walden to hold a public town hall caravanned through Bend, this weekend. They held a "Where's Walden?" rally, downtown, on Saturday, as they traveled from Ashland to Hood River. The Oregon Republican hasn't held a town hall in Deschutes County since April 2017.
Former Combat Veteran Craig Jorgensen says Walden isn't doing enough to help vets, especially those who are homeless, "We need an outreach to them, we need somebody going to them and bringing them in. These people don't trust society, they don't trust the police, they don't trust the community. They're in pain, and they're not being addressed." Jorgenson also called Trump's administration a horrific nightmare, fraught with illegal and immoral practices, and wants to know why Walden seems to support the President. "Walden is complicit in his silence," Jorgensen tells KBND News, "This guy does awful stuff; he says nothing."
Mickey King believes the Congressman isn't connected to the people who live in District Two. "We're not going to stand for Walden ignoring us anymore. He doesn't take our letters when we go knocking on the door, we're locked out and stuff. So, we're out here protesting against his policies, and him not being a Senator [sic] for all." King's other complaints include, Walden doesn't hold Town Halls in his community, hasn't done enough to make everyone's lives better, and voted for tax breaks for the top "one-percent."
Alexandra Sweet was protesting Walden's vote to overturn portions of Obamacare, but says his policies are illogical across the board, "He voted down the line to take away the EPA regulations, and then he has the nerve to come and say Oregonians deserve better air quality." Speakers riled up the crowd of approximately two dozen, discussing immigration, labor, gun safety, veterans, public lands, and healthcare.
Walden, who was first elected to Congress in 1998; he faces Democrat Jamie McLeod Skinner and Independent Mark Roberts in November.
