Real townhalls are open, not staged

Congressman Aaron Bean’s recent statement is a masterclass in political deflection. While he claims to reject “illusion and confusion,” his commentary offers both in abundance — wrapped in a veneer of civility that ultimately serves to excuse his refusal to engage in genuine public dialogue.   

First, Bean accuses Democrats of hosting “publicity stunts” instead of “official town halls,” implying that any event not sanctioned by his office is somehow illegitimate. This is a dangerous precedent. Voters and political groups across the spectrum have a right to organize public forums, ask questions, and hold their elected officials accountable. If Congressman Bean truly believed in open dialogue, he would welcome the opportunity to face questions in any public setting — not just in carefully controlled environments where dissent is minimized. Congressman Bean has a history of ignoring campaign challengers and those who are not his echo chamber.   

Second, he complains that these events are scheduled “without regard to my availability” which is patently false. The event organizer, who has no official affiliation with any organization had multiple communications with the Congressman’s local and DC offices. But let’s be clear: it’s not the job of concerned citizens or advocacy groups to coordinate around a Member of Congress’s calendar. It is the job of the Congressman to be present — and accountable — when his constituents raise concerns. If Bean was serious about constructive conversation, he could have offered to attend virtually, send a representative, or host a real bipartisan town hall. Instead, he chose to dismiss these events as partisan “gotcha moments,” effectively silencing the voices of people he was elected to represent. Perhaps these are the “performative politics that seek to defraud the voters of their real intent and our real progress as a community and nation”.   

Third, Bean touts his travels to counties across the district and his meetings with over 1,000 constituents. While that’s commendable, handpicked visits to schools and businesses do not replace the need for public, unscripted engagement. Talking to students and business leaders behind closed doors isn’t the same as facing hard questions from working families, veterans, or frustrated voters who don’t feel seen or heard by their government. The town hall events in March and April were attended by more than 500 constituents and the live stream events have had more than 3,000 views.   

And finally, Bean’s claim that he works “with and for all voters” rings hollow when he refuses to show up at events simply because Democrats are in the room. True representation means standing in uncomfortable spaces, listening to criticism, and answering for your record — not retreating behind partisan lines and then pretending to rise above them. This claim seems counter to the message he recently sent to his constituency: 

"I will not be attending any of the fake ‘town hall’ meetings sponsored by the Democrat Party and their cohorts – not today and not tomorrow. I remain committed to being an active and engaged representative that listens to and fights for his constituency. Serving the voters is my most important job as their representative in Congress – one that I take seriously each and every day – but I will not be participating in these Democrat attack rallies falsely billed as ‘town halls.'"

If Congressman Bean wants to “focus on issues that matter,” then he should start by showing up. Anything less is performative politics — no matter how politely it’s packaged.

Sheila Cocchi, SHRM-CP