North State Congressman Doug LaMalfa fielded wide-ranging questions from constituents during a hastily called conference call Wednesday evening.
Recently elected to a third term, LaMalfa tacked closely to Republican positions on issues involving health care, education, immigration and firearms.
A frequent and vociferous critic of the Affordable Care Act, LaMalfa, like President Donald Trump, emphasized that people shouldn’t worry about losing access to health care.
“We’re not going to just have a chop off and leave people out,” LaMalfa said. “We will find a transition for that, it might take one year, it might take two years, whatever that transition period’s going to be.”
That’s a far cry from the mantra of the campaign, when vows were made that Obamacare would be repealed on day one.
Questioners asked about the Oroville Dam, complained about rising utility bills and one man said new California firearm regulations have him considering a move to Idaho.
LaMalfa reiterated President Trump’s calls on immigration.
“If you don’t have a secure border, then you don’t really have a border at all, and I think we need that because the costs of illegal immigration is much more than the wall will cost to do,” he said.
Participants were mostly polite, but the gulf on immigration policy led to a few heated exchanges such as one with a man identified as Ron from Magalia.
Ron: “Arresting people in the hospital there’s a lot of things that you guys are—(LaMalfa interrupts: “Well, people that are here illegally are not playing by the rules”) (Ron continuing, barely audible, “You guys are going in there being like fascists, you’re just being a fascist operation.” LaMalfa continues: “OK Don, we’ll see you later. So long.” Ron: “You’re actually better than this,” call disconnects.
The unusual conference call was announced two days after constituents held a rally demanding LaMalfa meet with voters.
Representatives typically host town hall meetings during the Congressional recess over president’s week. In a recent email, Communications Director Parker Williams described the lack of a scheduled town hall as “not at all unusual,” and said town halls would be scheduled in coming months.