Protestors disrupted Democrat Rep. Bill Foster’s town hall five times, adding to a raucous meeting as the Congressman answered constituents questions about President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's cuts to the federal government, and the Democrats' response.
“Israel bombs, U.S.A. pays,” shouted one protestor as he was being escorted out of the packed 600-seat auditorium at Benedictine University in Lisle. “How many kids were killed today?”
Another protestor scolded the audience for only caring about how federal cuts affect their families, ‘but when billions of dollars are being sent to Israel so they can continue to bomb whole families – you don’t care.”
Foster responded to the protestors with criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct. The United Nations and human rights organizations say the U.S. is complicit in Israel's military campaign and genocide of Palestinians.
On Tuesday, Israel's attack on Gaza killed over 400 Palestinians, many of them women and children. That's in addition to the over 48,000 that have been killed since Israel's war on Gaza. Some researchers estimate the number to be in the hundreds of thousands due to death by starvation and lack of medical care.
When WNIJ asked Foster whether he supports U.S. military funding for Israel he said “with conditions.”
Foster added that he doesn’t believe Netanyahu would uphold any conditions placed on aid.
“I don't trust him [Netanyahu] at all,” he said. “As I mentioned in my talk, the first time I met him he lied to my face”
Activists say despite his rhetoric Foster continues to support U.S. military aid to Israel. Roll call records show Foster voted in favor of 26 billion in military funding for Israel in April.
“A nightmare”
Foster’s townhall drew folks displeased with the state of the government under President Trump.
“I have lived many, many years, and the government was never first and foremost in my mind,” said Robyn Weiss, “because I was always sure that even though there were differences between the parties that the government would be run the way it needs to be run as the United States.”
“At 78 years old to have to be so worried about where this country is and where it's going is a total nightmare,” she said.
Foster's event comes at a time when there’s also been heavy criticism aimed at Democrats for their response, or lack of response, to President Trump’s actions.
“It used to be the Republicans were a train wreck,” John Drozd said. “Now the Democrats are turned into one and I don't hear any Democrat, not one, standing up, being mad, being pissed off, yelling, nothing about the stuff that's going on,” he said.
Several attendees including Drozd, said Elon Musk’s actions to fire government workers have impacted their families directly.
“My daughter's been on a roller coaster and I can’t actually talk about it,” Drozd said.
Democratic leadership
“We really need a new, good national leader, and I hope, somebody who's a little younger than 80, maybe,” Rob Williams said, “somebody that represents a larger demographic.”
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, for example, is 80 years old and has not yet announced his re-election plans. Durbin was among the 10 senators who joined Republicans in voting for a continuing resolution bill to fund the government for the next six months."
Critics say the budget gives the president free range to spend the dollars as he sees fit. Foster avoided criticizing Durbin.
“Well, I think we played our cards correctly and the Senate had a different set of cards and played them differently,” Foster said.
Foster’s explanation for his approach to rebutting Trump’s actions drew murmurs and skepticism from the crowd.
He mentioned his participation in a rally for science, a protest at the Department of Education, and at the Treasury Department.
“I do a certain amount of just trying to talk quiet sense to my Republican colleagues,” he said as some audience members laughed and sighed, “to try to see, to identify those that have a core of decency. And you see that from time to time.”
Courts
He emphasized the role of the courts in restraining Trump and his expectation that Republicans will also uphold the third branch of government.
“I have a lot of hope that the Republicans, who currently are fully supportive of all of this, will draw the line at defying the Supreme Court,” he said as the audience grumbled, “who knows.”
He said comments made by Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts indicates strength in the courts.
‘The Chief justices seldom speak out in response to just a comment that's made on social media,” he said. “That tells you that he has a red line. And I disagree with Chief Justice Roberts on a lot of things, but, but he seems to have integrity and a real care for the democracy of the United States,” he said.
Foster is referring to Chief Justice Roberts statement on Tuesday dismissing Trump’s call for removal of a federal judge who has ruled against his administration’s deportation actions.
U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg ordered the Trump Administration to explain the deportation of Venezuelan national to a prison in El Salvador in defiance of his court order against it, according to the Associated Press.
The Trump Administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1789 to deport the individuals and bypass court proceedings before an immigration or federal judge.
Reports say the law has only been exercised three times in U.S. history, with the last incident being during World War II to arrest and intern Japanese-Americans. President Ronald Reagan later issued an apology for the U.S. government’s actions.
The Trump Administration has not released the names of the individuals deported nor have indicated if they had faced any charges, but argue they are gang members who pose a threat to the U.S.
After the event, Foster exited the stage as folks made their way out of the space.
Foster represents the 11th congressional district which includes portions of McHenry, Belvidere Genoa, Aurora, Naperville and Bolingbrook.
“It's just important to talk to people and when people are scared, it's even more important, “ he said. “Town halls get raucous from time to time, and they always have, but it's important for the people to see you sweat,” he said.
Meanwhile, some Republican Congressmen have avoided sweating in front their constituents. Reports say House Speaker Mike Johnson advices GOP members to stop holding townhall meetings to avoid such scenes.
