Tag Archives: Town Hall

Hempstead, New York, U.S. April 16, 2025. U.S. Rep. LAURA GILLEN (Democrat - NY District 4) answers a question during her in-person Town Hall at Hofstra University on Long Island. (© 2025 Ann Parry, annparry.com)

Rep. Laura Gillen reaches across the aisles at Hofstra town hall

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
April 18, 2025 

  • America’s just barely a functioning democracy  (author’s opinion)

Wanting to get a good aisle seat at Congresswoman Laura Gillen’s town hall, I arrived at Hofstra’s Student Center Theater shortly after 5pm, an hour before doors opened.

VIDEO: Rep. Laura Gillen (NY04) gives an Update at Town Hall:

During the wait, I chatted with someone nearby on line. Suddenly she looked up at me and paused. In little more than a whisper, she said, “I have pension funds invested in the stock market… but I still hope it crashes.”

Then she gave me a little “You know what I mean, don’t you?” nod.

I knew, and I wasn’t shocked.

America’s just barely a functioning democracy. So if someone feels little is making the president obey the law and constitution, tragically, a stock market crash might seem an acceptable horror if it put Trump in check.

By the time the town hall began, I didn’t notice any empty seats. First three Girl Scouts marched up to the stage, where they led the Pledge of Allegiance. Then KIM DOMAGE, of Calvary Tabernacle, sang the Star Spangled Banner.

“Rep. Laura Gillen's Hofstra Town Hall

Hempstead, N.Y., U.S. April 16, 2025. KIM DOMAGE, of Calvary Tabernacle, sings the National Anthem during Rep. Gillen’s town hall. (©2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Rep. Laura Gillen (NY04), who’s on the Transportation & Infrastructure and the Science, Space & Technology Committees, began with  an update about her first months in Congress.  [see above video]

When the moderator, Hofstra Professor of Political Science, ROSANNA PEROTTI, explained she’d pick constituents’ questions from a bowl and read them aloud, several audience members called out that people who submitted questions should be able to ask them. 

“Rep. Laura Gillen's Hofstra Town Hall

Hempstead, N.Y., U.S. April 16, 2025. L-R, Dr. ROSANNA PEROTTI , Hofstra Professor of Political Science, reads a constituent’s question out loud as U.S. Rep. LAURA GILLEN (Dem – NY04) listens during her town hall. At left is a blue bowl filled with constituents’ questions written on paper slips. (©2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Rep. Laura Gillen and audience members appeared to agree on several questions, including ones about working to reinstate the SALT tax deduction, improve roadway safety and poor water quality, and protect social security and medicare.

LAKEN RILEY ACT

VIDEO: Rep. Gillen’s Town Hall, Laken Riley Act:

But there were also questions on topics some audience members strongly disagree about with the congresswoman. 

Based on angry comments I read on social media after Gillen voted for the Laken Riley Act, I wasn’t surprised when her statements such as, “I support the Laken Riley Act, and I’d vote for it again,” drew loud criticism from several audience members.

After a man shouted, “You should be ashamed of yourself!” security escorted him out of the theater.

“Rep. Laura Gillen's Hofstra Town Hall

Hempstead, New York, U.S. April 16, 2025. During Rep. Laura Gillen’s town hall at Hofstra, audience members turn to back of theater where people are shouting in protest against Gillen’s vote for the Laken Riley Act. (©2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

TARIFFS & DISCHARGE

VIDEO: Rep. Gillen Town Hall, tariffs & discharge petition:

The audience supported Rep. Gillen’s strong attack against the president’s contradictory, extreme, and unpredictable words and actions about tariffs

Gillen explained there’s a bipartisan (Republican & Democrat) and bicameral (House and Senate) bill, the “Trade Review Act of 2025,” aiming to reassert Congress’s authority over trade policy. It includes that any tariff implemented by administration has to be reviewed by Congress within 60 days, and Congress can stop a tariff at any time.

Rep. Gillen feels the bill is important and hopes it will make it through the House and Senate.  

She explained how the House of Representatives is a majority rules place, and a discharge petition is the one way to get around Speaker of the House Johnson’s control of what Congress votes on.

However, Rep. Gillen candidly described a discharge petition as a long shot, particularly because the procedure requires some Republican to sign onto the petition.

Then she added, “But the more pressure that our colleagues feel to uphold the rule of law, the more likely they might be to join us on some legislation.

When an audience member called out asking what happens if the bill passes but Trump vetoes it, Rep. Gillen slowly said, “If Trump vetoes it… he vetoes it.”

Prof. Rosanna Perotti, the moderator, added, “We all know what happens at that point. That’s the civics thing.” Then she read the next question.

At the end of the town hall, several audience members also made their frustration clear when they shouted the president must be impeached.

FUTURE TOWN HALLS

Rep. Gillen’s town hall was the first of a series she plans to hold. I want to attend others because I learned quite a few things and appreciated hearing the audience reactions during the Hofstra town hall.

About civic engagement: 

Constituents who see the president as acting in an unconstitutional way need to feel hope it’s possible to stop those actions.

Civic engagement was touched on, for example, when Gillen stated how [constituents] putting pressure on [her Republican] colleagues can help pass bills, and Perotti said if Trump vetoes a bill then it’s time for the “the civics thing.”

But I’m not sure if many audience members had time during the event to appreciate the crucial role civic engagement may play when Republicans control the Executive Branch, both Houses, and have a conservative Supreme Court. 

Building on that,  it could be helpful to:

  • discuss in detail how civic engagement is crucial because it helps put pressure on officials or candidates we disagree with, and helps support ones we agree with. Discuss the role marches, protests, contacting elected officials, volunteering for candidates… can play.)
  • We need to feel our elected officials are listening to us. 
    If the audience brings up impeachment, explain what facts make it unrealistic right now. Go over those reasons even if they were discussed earlier in a different context.

For those of us who agree America’s just barely a functioning democracy: Work to help get our country through this crisis.


also seen at town hall:

“Rep. Laura Gillen's Hofstra Town Hall

Hempstead, New York, U.S. April 16, 2025. Dr. JOYLETTE WILLIAMS, Democratic candidate for Nassau County Clerk, attends Rep. Gillen’s town hall. (©2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

    • Rep. Gillen’s Hofstra town hall
“Rep. Laura Gillen's Hofstra Town Hall

Hempstead, New York, U.S. April 16, 2025. JOE SCIANABLO, Democratic candidate for Town of Hempstead Supervisor, attends Rep. Gillen’s Town Hall at Hofstra University on Long Island. (©2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)


fLI FYI:

from authoritarian’s playbook

  • attack the Free Press
  • attack the Rule of Law
  • attack Academic Institutions
  • attack Civil Liberties such as free speech and freedom of religion
  • silence Political Opponents

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

democracy – representative democracy – republic

  • Democracy has different forms, including representative democracy and direct democracy – similar to how a car can be a pickup truck, a limousine, an SUV.
  • Representative democracy and republic are basically the same.
  • Our founders referred to our representative democracy or republic as a democracy

Feature Photo  (at top of post):  Hempstead, New York, U.S. April 16, 2025. Congresswoman LAURA A. GILLEN (NY-04) holds town hall at Hofstra University. 


Rep. Laura Gillen’s town hall:  my PHOTO GALLERY my VIDEOS

Rep. Laura Gillen:  gillen.house.govcontact/newsletter subscribe

Hofstra University:  hofstra.eduDept. of Political Science

Girl Scouts of Nassau County:  gsnc.org

Kim Domage:  facebook.com/kim.domage

Joe Scianablo:  facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575047587490

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“Rep. Laura Gillen's Hofstra Town Hall

Hempstead, N.Y., U.S. April 16, 2025. U.S. Rep. LAURA GILLEN (D-NY04) holds an in-person town hall at Hofstra University. (©2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Hempstead NY, Oct. 5, 2018. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks at podium at start of Town Hall Meeting at Hofstra University, Long Island.

Gillibrand Town Hall at Hofstra: YES to Affordable Health Care & Education; Diversity & Hope

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
October 6, 2018

Hempstead NY, USA, Oct. 5, 2018. Sen. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND poses with, L-R, MARIA TERESA ROMERO, ELSA FORD, and MILLIE MOTA, members of Brentwood Bay Shore Breast Cancer Coalition, at end of Town Hall at Hofstra University. (Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. Oct. 5, 2018. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), 2nd from right, poses with, L-R, Maria Teresa Romero, Elsa Ford, and Millie Mota, members of Brentwood Bay Shore Breast Cancer Coalition, at end of Town Hall at Hofstra. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Town Hall at Hofstra University last night, Oct. 5th, landed at the start of the Columbus Day holiday weekend. But midterm elections were only 31 days away, and the Student Center Theater was packed.

After Dean Meena Bose, the moderator, introduced Gillibrand, the senator spoke to the largely supportive audience.

Anyone who wanted to ask Senator Gillibrand a question had taken a red raffle ticket, and put half of it in a glass bowl before the Town Hall began. Tickets were drawn at random for the Q&A. 

Judge Kavanaugh

Not surprisingly, an early question was about the highly controversial Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh – which the Senate was voting on the next day.  

Gillibrand said she planned to vote against his confirmation because she thinks he’d put Roe VS Wade in danger, and “Judge Kavanaugh, he doesn’t value women, does not respect women, or listen to them.” 

Young Voters:

To a politically active but frustrated young voter, Gillibrand stressed the importance of being heard, voting, fighting for our country and values, and not giving up hope.

Excerpts from Gillibrand’s response:

“Don’t lose hope. Truth is, our Democracy never works unless regular people stand up and demand action….

“And, if we can really be heard and talk about our values and our priorities and how disappointing it is to have someone like Brett Kavanaugh serve on the Supreme Court, if we articulate that by voting, and organizing our communities, and even running if you think we must –

” – You’re gonna transform government, you’re gonna flip the house, and you’re gonna flip the senate, and that will create enormous oversight and accountability over the Trump administration, and give us a chance of unwinding some of the horrible things this president has already done, so do not lose hope.

“And most successful movements in this country have been student lead movements. So when young people care deeply, their parents care deeply, and so do their communities.

Opioid Crisis:

When a Hofstra alumnus asked what actual approaches were going to be taken to effectively deal with the opioid crisis, Senator Gillibrand said, “Children are dying all across this country,” and discussed how more, and more effective, Prevention, Intervention and Response were needed.

Trump 2020:
An audience member asked, “For those of use who are on the ground, and are working hard everyday, and are gonna keep on working, what can we do so we can make sure we don’t end up with another Trump or somebody worse in 2020, outside from asking people like you to run in 2020, in all sincerity?”

Excerpts from Gillibrand’s response:

“I believe we will win, in both ’18 and ’20 because I think America believes in a set of values that President Trump doesn’t believe in…. We believe in the Golden Rule…. Making sure everyone has a chance at the American Dream.

“So whether you believe that health care is a right, not a privilege – clean water is a right – every kid should have access to a good education – that people shouldn’t be with laden with debt after college – that people should have the training to get a good job to earn their way to middle class, those four values will be on the ballot 2020.

“Those are American values I believe New Yorkers and people across the county will vote for, and that will be very different leadership than today.”

Immigration:

The last question was a long, multi-part one about immigration, and the audience softly booed when the questioner said the parents of Dreamers should never get citizenship.

When Senator Gillibrand’s response started with “I disagree,” the audience cheered. She then added, “That was a heartfelt question, so let me tell you why I disagree,” and responded energetically. [Video starts during audience member’s question]

Gillibrand concluded with a rousing message about diversity:

“Fundamentally, do not be afraid of people who need our help. We are rich. We are powerful. We can create a growing economy.

“And the things that create a growing economy is diversity – is ingenuity – is entrepreneurism – is innovation, and that comes from the beautiful panoply of America.”

Q&A topics also included:

  • Support of Senate bills protecting wildlife whose numbers are dangerously low.
  • Support of Peace legislation: Senate Bill S.2047, Preventing Preemptive War with North Korea Act of 2017, which has 13 out of 100 senators currently backing it.
  • Fighting hunger, including through food stamps – whose main recipients are children, seniors, and veterans – and through non-profit programs such as Island Harvest – Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization – which, as Gillibrand explained, “marshals food and supplies from people who have offered it to those who need it most.”

The audience applauded enthusiastically at the end of the Q&A.

Gillibrand promised to stay as long as it took for everyone who wanted a selfie with her to get one. (Well, they were sort-of selfies, since an aide took them, using audience members’ cell phones.)

The line for photos stretched from the stage to halfway across the back of the theater. 


Gillibrand Town Hall, Hofstra: PHOTO GALLERY

All my Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Videos: vimeo.com/channels/gillibrand

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John Kasich Hosts Town Hall at Hofstra

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
April 8, 2016

This eventful week of presidential primary events on Long Island started off with John Kasich, Republican candidate and Governor of Ohio, hosting a Town Hall on Monday at Hofstra University.

Hempstead, New York, USA. April 4, 2016. JOHN KASICH, Republican presidential candidate and governor of Ohio, speaks at the Town Hall he hosts at Hofstra University David Mack Student Center in Long Island. The New York primary is April 19, and Kasich is the first of the three GOP presidential candidates to campaign in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and is in third place in number of delegates won. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. April 4, 2016. JOHN KASICH, Republican presidential candidate, speaks at the Town Hall he hosts at Hofstra University. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Maureen O’Brien, of Bethpage, brought a colorful, handmade “GO JOHNNY GO” poster, which I spotted while sitting on the floor near her front row seat.

Hempstead, New York, USA. April 4, 2016. MAUREEN O'BRIEN, from Bethpage, holds a'GO Johnny GO' sign she brought to Town Hall hosted by JOHN KASICH, Republican presidential candidate and governor of Ohio, at Hofstra University David Mack Student Center in Long Island. O'Brien is a registered Republican and supports Kasich. The New York primary is April 19, and Kasich is the first of the three GOP presidential candidates to campaign in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and is in third place in number of delegates won. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. April 4, 2016. MAUREEN O’BRIEN, from Bethpage, holds a ‘GO Johnny GO’ sign she brought to Town Hall hosted by JOHN KASICH, Republican presidential candidate, at Hofstra University.  (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

When I gave Ms. O’Brien a heads up I might need to grab the back of her chair later on when I stood up, she offered to switch places with me.  I thanked her for such generosity, but ended up staying on the floor.

Hempstead, New York, USA. April 4, 2016. JOHN KASICH, Republican presidential candidate and governor of Ohio, speaks at the Town Hall he's hosting at Hofstra University David Mack Student Center in Long Island. Audience includes senior citizens from Long Island AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) wearing red shirts with message'Does Your Candidate Have A Plan For Social Security?' on back, . The New York primary is April 19, and Kasich is the first of the three GOP presidential candidates to campaign in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and is in third place in number of delegates won. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. April 4, 2016. JOHN KASICH, Republican presidential candidate and governor of Ohio, speaks at the Town Hall he’s hosting at Hofstra University. Several Long Island members of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) wore red shirts with message ‘Does Your Candidate Have A Plan For Social Security?’ (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Since I had my sweatshirt under my knees when kneeling, I could comfortably focus on capturing the governor speaking – without notes – to the audience, which frequently applauded and cheered.

John Kasich Town Hall at Hofstra:   GALLERY

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