Constituents ask, 'Where's Faso?'

Hundreds of protesters from across the 19th Congressional District gathered at 2 p.m. — signs and microphones in hand — to demand U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-19, meet publicly with his constituents.

Some people held signs that read, “Serve the people, not the party” and “Free the press.”

The protest was led by the organizations Move On, Our Revolution and Indivisible CD-19 NY, and was supported by several local groups from throughout the 11 counties of the district.

Victor Mendolia, founder of the citizen’s group Hudson Resistance, said the groups are organizing and will continue to organize until Faso agrees to meet publicly with his constituents.

“Or he’s going to be gone in 2018,” Mendolia said.

Gianni Ortiz, of Chatham, a local realtor, activist and founding organizer of Indivisible CD-19 NY, said she thought public protests had been successful so far in showing the number of people who are willing to come out and voice their concerns.

“He’s [Faso] terrified of us — he is absolutely terrified of us,” Ortiz said. “But he’s making it worse for himself. The faster he runs, the faster we follow him.”

Ortiz said fear has been a driving force behind the number of people showing up at local protests, requesting a meeting with Faso.

“They are coming out of the woodwork, because they’re scared,” she said.

“We’re flipping the Congress in 2018,” Ortiz said. “That’s it, he’s fired. This is a purple district and if he doesn’t realize that, he’s a fool.”

Faso released an emailed statement Monday afternoon about the protest.

"I respect everyone’s first amendment right to make their voices heard," Faso said." I am working to keep what works and fix what doesn’t in our healthcare system. We also need to secure our borders and fix our broken immigration system."

Addressing the country's immigration issues is critical for farmers and other employers in the state's 19th Congressional District, he said.

During this week's Congressional recess, Faso said he met with dozens of groups, including constituents.

"Just this past week, I conducted approximately 50 meetings with different groups around our district," Faso said. "These included hospitals, non-profits serving the disabled, small businesses and also individuals and groups of citizens who advocated both for and against the ACA.

"Such meetings allow me to fully understand how various proposals in Washington will actually affect families and small businesses in our 11-county district."

Faso’s votes were a primary concern of protestors Saturday.

“We’re obviously trying to get him to vote in a way we find acceptable; we’re putting pressure on him so he can’t continue to vote like a right-wing Republican,” Mendolia said.

“I’m terrified of the ACA [Affordable Care Act] implications, the Planned Parenthood implications, the gun stuff — is terrifying,” Ortiz said.

Gianni said the federal concealed carry law terrified her as it would “wipe out” gun legislation in individual states.

“Also, the transgender thing — that is attacking children, who are one of the most vulnerable demographics,” Ortiz said. “I mean, why? What does that accomplish, other than wounding them further? I could go on.”

Mendolia stressed concerns around Faso voting in favor of H.R.7, No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017; H.J.Res.38, disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule; and H.J.Res.41, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to “Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers.”

“These votes don’t represent the values of John Faso’s constituents. We’re here telling him that,” Mendolia said. “They represent big business donors and the far-right religious groups.”

John Brennan, of Columbiaville, said he was concerned about the administration of President Donald Trump “giving tax breaks to everybody when we can’t pay our debt.”

“His [Faso’s] justification for not really standing up to Trump was that 60 percent of his voters support Trump so he would, too,” Brennan said. “So he’s aligned himself with Trump and the dismantling of the First Amendment is not going to make us safer or really do anything positive.”

Margaret Saliske, of Hudson, said she was disappointed Faso did not show up at the protest Saturday as she would have liked to hear him clarify his votes on several policies.

“I’m concerned about the Affordable Care Act and how he’s going to offer tax breaks,” Saliske said. “I don’t pay a lot of tax because I don’t make a lot of money, so it’s not a break for me; it’s a break for somebody who is in the high tax bracket, who is looking for a break.”

Hilary Harris, of Catskill, said she was concerned about the environment and animals.

“I know they recently passed a law that the hunters in Alaska can kill baby bears and baby wolves in their dens — how can anybody do that?” Harris said.

Harris said she thought the drive behind such protests was for people to organize and meet and voice their concerns. She said that by not showing up to protests or events, it seemed as if Faso did not have a lot of courage and it seemed as if he wasn’t acting on concerns of his constituents.

“Then, of course, there’s healthcare and Planned Parenthood,” Harris said. “I mean, please. There are so many things — they’re all important. Immigration is another one — it’s out of control. It’s not about a democracy at all.”

Leigh and Jared Widjeskog, of Stuyvesant, said they were also unimpressed with the fact that Faso had not agreed to hold a town hall meeting or attend public protests and gatherings.

“He’s not giving us a voice,” Jared Widjeskog said.

“I’m less impressed with the fact that he’s hosting $20-a-plate breakfasts and luncheons,” Leigh Widjeskog said. “He needs to do his job and represent the people. That’s all we’re asking for.”

“Open lines of communication in public, in real time with real people, that’s the only way to have a conversation that truly answers our concerns,” Jared Widjeskog said. “If you look at his Facebook page you’ll see it. All his posts are disconnected from what everyone’s talking about, what everyone’s very, very worried about.”

The Widjeskogs said they were concerned about the way Faso has voted regarding the environment and the way he has voted “against women’s rights.”

“Unless he meets with us and shows us he’s willing to work with us,” Jared Widjeskog said. “I’m concerned he may be in over his head, that he wasn’t expecting to step into Congress under a Trump presidency.”

“We don’t think he’s going to be able to cut it,” Leigh Widjeskog said.

The 19th Congressional District includes Columbia, Greene, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster counties, and parts of Broome, Dutchess, Montgomery, and Rensselaer counties. Constituents from across several counties, in addition to the Twin Counties, attended the protest in Kinderhook on Saturday afternoon.

Cathy Joyner traveled from her home in New Paltz in Ulster County to Kinderhook Saturday to protest Faso’s environmental policies. She has attended several protests in the area, including one in Albany last week.

Joyner said she became disabled and unable to walk after a GE chemical spill affected the water supply in her hometown. She said she became concerned when House Republicans voted to repeal a rule that limited companies from dumping mining waste in streams. Joyner said she has made several attempts to reach Faso via phone and email to Faso’s district offices.

“I’m very worried this could happen to someone else,” she said.

Claudia DeBellis from Clinton Corners in Dutchess County said she attended the rally because she wants to know the future of Social Security and the Affordable Care Act. Multiple protests have focused on Faso’s support of the ACA’s repeal.

“We have health insurance so we are set, but there are lots of kids that don’t,” DeBellis said. “Our children, our neighbor’s kids – they don’t have health insurance… It’s not right that some of us have health care and some of us don’t.”

Jeff Spahm, also of Clinton Corners, wants Faso to investigate Trump’s business ties to Russia.

“Donald Trump Jr. in 2008 said that a substantial portion of the investment in the company came from Russia. I am very uncomfortable with someone whose company has major investors in from Russia,” Spahm said. “I spent a long time in the defense industry; it’s not a safe thing to do.”

*Editor's note: This story reflects additional comments from U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-19.

To reach the reporters:

Amanda Purcell: email her at apurcell@thedailymail.net or tweet her at @amandajpurcell.

Rosa Acheson: email her at racheson@registerstar.com or tweet her at @roacheson_CGM.