‘You have nothing to say but lies,’ the angry constituent shouted at Representative Chuck Edwards
An angry constituent heckled GOP Representative Chuck Edwards at a town hall event as audience members cheered and clappedopen image in gallery
An angry constituent heckled GOP Representative Chuck Edwards at a town hall event as audience members cheered and clapped (C-SPAN)
Your support helps us to tell the story
Support Now
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
A man who identified himself as a veteran heckled a Republican congressman on Thursday as yet another GOP town hall event descended into chaos.
The action erupted as Representative Chuck Edwards held a town hall in Asheville, North Carolina on Thursday evening. The lawmaker was speaking to constituents about voting yes on the House budget resolution when the crowd started booing.
“And you wonder why folks don’t want to do town halls anymore?” Edwards quipped.
In response, a man in the crowd stood up, identified himself as a veteran and began shouting at the lawmaker.
Representative Chuck Edwards hosted a less-than-pleasant town hall for him Thursday in Asheville, North Carolinaopen image in gallery
Representative Chuck Edwards hosted a less-than-pleasant town hall for him Thursday in Asheville, North Carolina (C-SPAN)
“You have nothing to say but lies,” the man yelled, as his fellow audience members laughed and cheered. “You’re lying. I’m a veteran, you don’t give a f*** about me.”
“You don’t get to take away our rights,” the man continued as security guards approached him.
Four officers surrounded the man, leading him from his seat as he continued his profanity-laden rant.
“F*** you,” he yelled as the officers walked him out. He continued to shout while walking out of the auditorium, accompanied by continued cheer and applause.
“You don’t get to do this,” he said as he left the room.
Officers lead out an angry constituent shouting at Representative Chuck Edwards's town hall Thursdayopen image in gallery
Officers lead out an angry constituent shouting at Representative Chuck Edwards's town hall Thursday (C-SPAN)
The Independent has contacted Edwards for comment.
The ugly confrontation comes after the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee advised GOP lawmakers to avoid town halls after raucous encounters over federal job cuts went viral earlier this year.
Chairman Richard Hudson, a GOP lawmaker from North Carolina, warned that "in-person town halls are no longer effective because Democrat activists are threatening democracy by disrupting the actual communication at town halls."
He offered no evidence that the town halls were populated by Democratic activists.
One of the problematic town hall events was hosted last month by Kansas Senator Roger Marshall, NBC News recounted.
When Marshall told constituents that Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees were fully vetted, the crowd erupted in boos. Then, when a constituent asked about job cuts impacting veterans, Marshall simply walked out of the town hall. Audience members booed again and complained he didn’t stay for the full hour.
Similarly, Republican Mark Alford drew angry shouts of opposition from a dozens-strong crowd as he tried to defend sweeping government cutbacks while speaking to his constituents in Missouri last month.
GOP Representative Rich McCormick found himself in a similar situation in Georgia, as his constituents confronted him over DOGE’s “chainsaw approach” to slashing federal spending.