Rep. Mike Flood’s (R-Neb.) city corridor turned raucous Tuesday night time as he fielded questions from voters about Elon Musk, President Trump’s tariffs, the White Home’s posture in direction of Ukraine and extra, with attendees booing and yelling on the congressman all through the occasion.
Flood — who represents Nebraska’s first congressional district — held the city corridor in Columbus, Nebraska, regardless of Home GOP leaders advising their members to keep away from in-person city halls and as an alternative host cellphone and live-streamed variations. The steering got here after a number of GOP lawmaker city halls went viral for protests and complaints in regards to the Trump administration, which Republicans have blamed on Democratic activists.
Flood’s city corridor — which ran for greater than an hour — was tense from the beginning, with the group booing elements of the congressman’s responses, yelling again at his remarks and cheering when a voter raised a grievance. At one level, an attendee held an indication that learn “LIAR.”
In one of many rowdiest moments, an attendee criticized Flood for calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s conduct “disrespectful” after his tense assembly with Trump final month.
“First of all, I do want to say shame,” the attendee mentioned. “I want to say shame for your comment, your quote that you said, ‘President Zelensky’s approach today was disrespectful to President Trump and undermines the goal of bringing peace’ and that. So shame on that.”
The feedback got here after Flood, in response to a earlier query, mentioned that he supported Ukraine, voted for earlier assist packages and believes Kyiv mustn’t have to surrender any land to Russia, prompting claps within the crowd.
At one other level, Flood was accused of doing little to assist constituent considerations.
“Congressman Flood, I just heard you in the last few minutes say that you support NATO, that you will not allow cuts to Social Security, that you support Ukraine, but talk is cheap,” the person mentioned. “Our president, our vice president have, and Elon Musk, have caused damage, they’ve humiliated the United States, because we’ve failed them.”
“We are failing to support democracy. We have a president that openly supports Putin instead, and I have called your office over and over and I have received answers from you, and they do nothing about any of those things,” he continued. “You have done nothing. When are you going to do something?”
The room erupted in applause. Flood responded, telling the person, “Unfortunately, sir, you are wrong,” noting his earlier help for Ukraine.
Flood sought to maintain the city corridor civil, at one level telling the group, “Let’s remain calm,” when shouting broke out throughout his response to a query about reducing Medicare.
“Let’s remain calm, let’s remain calm, let’s remain calm, and let me remind you, if you’re gonna ask me a question, let me answer the question,” he mentioned. “If you’re gonna ask me a question, you have to let me answer the question.”
Flood is one of some Home GOP lawmakers who’ve held in-person city halls throughout this week’s recess, along with Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.). Flood — a co-chair of the self-proclaimed pragmatic Essential Road Caucus — has represented his district since 2022, and he received re-election by greater than 20 share factors in November.
The viewers at Tuesday night time’s city corridor grew significantly indignant throughout conversations surrounding Musk and the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), which the tech billionaire oversees. At one level, Flood mentioned, “I support Elon Musk and DOGE,” in response to a query about Musk and potential conflicts of curiosity, prompting loud boos and showings of thumbs down from voters.
Throughout one other second, an attendee pressed Flood on what he has finished to push again on Musk and Trump. The girl zeroed in on stories that DOGE workers had gained entry to delicate databases at federal businesses.
“You talk about national security, yet you have done nothing to stop Elon Musk and his little band of tech geeks,” a lady mentioned. “They went in and they had read write access to the agencies, and that is a huge national security threat.”
“The fact that you have not done anything to stand up to him, and this talk of I support Trump, I support Elon Musk, that’s not enough, okay,” she added. “We need actual action; we need actual cybersecurity experts to go in and make sure that our government is secure because Trump is in the pocket of Putin, and you are letting him continue.”
At a special level, when requested, “What are you doing to stop the activities of unelected and unconfirmed Elon Musk,” Flood responded “I know you disagree with what Mr. Musk is doing; I know you disagree with the way this is rolling out, but this is the process that we are using to find waste, fraud, and abuse,” eliciting boos and yells from attendees.
There was additionally important pushback from the viewers when Flood was pressed on tariffs Trump has positioned — and threatened to impose — on nations, rising costs nationwide, and the drop within the inventory market. As Flood argued that Trump “successfully” used tariffs throughout his first time period, the group broke out in screams.
“The only way this is gonna work, folks, is if I get the opportunity to answer the question. What message are you sending to these Columbus high school students?” he mentioned, referring to the scholars within the room. “I don’t think your high school civics teacher would endorse that behavior.”
“They wouldn’t endorse yours either,” somebody within the crowd responded.
Shortly after, when Flood mentioned, “There will be an adjustment period” relating to tariffs, the group broke out in boos.
At the start of Tuesday’s occasion, Flood defined why he determined to carry an in-person city corridor — over the recommendation of management — telling attendees, “I believe that town halls are an important part of the process, it’s democracy, it’s how we communicate with each other.”
He did, nevertheless, allude to the discontent within the room.
“I know that some of you in this room are angry, I know that some of you in this room are emotional, and I know that some of you in this room are concerned. I also know there are people in this room that feel very strongly in the opposite direction, that things are going in the right direction,” Flood mentioned. “Here’s what I want to do tonight: I want you to feel comfortable telling me what you want me to know, but when somebody else is on the microphone or when I’m interacting with somebody, let’s let these students from Columbus public schools get an education in what our democracy is all about, and that is you telling me what you think, but I need an opportunity to tell you or give you an answer, and then you can ultimately decide if you’re pleased with that or not.”
