Posted on 08/25/2009 8:51:18 PM PDT by HokieMom
Rep. Jim Moran's town hall meeting descended into chaos Tuesday night as protestors clashed -- in one case violently -- with supporters of a broad federal health care expansion, leading the 8th District Democrat to angrily seek to evict some of the loudest demonstrators.
Moran and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean addressed a crowd of at least 2,500 at South Lakes High School in Reston, weathering hours of catcalls and heckling mixed with shouts from supporters.
Outside, a spillover crowd of protestors and counter-protesters shouted slogans at each other. A man in a Cato Institute T-shirt scuffled with a man wearing an Obama T-shirt, punched him in the face, and was shortly after kicked off the property by police officers.
Police said they were seeking to avoid arrests to help keep the crowd under control.
Inside, the scene was just as raucous. Moran -- fuming that his introduction of Dean was met with jeers -- finally lost his temper with the crowd.
"There are hundreds of people in this gymnasium who can't hear [Dean] because of a handful of people," Moran said. "These folks are not from the 8th District, they don't really belong here, and I'm going to ask them to leave."
Moran is a supporter of the $1.6 trillion House health care bill that would create a new government health option. The bill, mired in disputes among Democratic factions, has proved a lightning rod in town hall meetings across America.
The meeting hosted by Moran contrasted sharply to a town hall in Springfield held by 11th District Democrat Gerry Connolly earlier in the day.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Great point.
It’s amazing how these people bus in supporters and hold fund raisers in far flung areas, but whe it comes to hearing opposition they NOW want a ‘residency’ test.
Additionally - it’s a farce. Saying it out loud doesn’t make it true. I imagine that many if not most of those attending to voice their opposition were local residents.
Dissent is patriotic.
Seditionist!
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