Sen. Cory Garnder hosts virtual townhall meeting
The Colorado Senator took questions regarding Russia’s ties to the election, marijuana and healthcare access.
For a little less than an hour on Wednesday morning, Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner fielded questions from constituents before attending a meeting with President Donald Trump.
The scheduled 10 a.m. townhall was moved back 30 minutes at the last minute to accommodate his meeting with the president.
Gardner has been facing criticism from some Coloradoans for not holding a townhall in the state during the week-long congressional recess. Critics of Trump in other states have been using townhall meetings to challenge Republican lawmakers on plans to reverse reverse Obama-era policies, such as the Affordable Care Act.
In answering a question about repealing and replacing ACA, Gardner said access to healthcare is key — which means making healthcare more affordable. The question came from a mother who said her family relies on ACA because her daughter has a pre-existing condition and would suffer if that aspect of the healthcare law was axed.
Callers pressed Gardner on an investigation of Russia’s alleged involvement in the 2016 election and FBI’s probe into the incident, to which he reiterated his support of a Senate investigation into the matter.
Another caller asked what Gardner would do to help keep the legal marijuana industry safe in Colorado.
Gardner said the White House’s recent message that the Department of Justice will be cracking down on states where recreational marijuana is legal is not the message he got when speaking with Attorney General Jeff Sessions prior to his confirmation.
Marijuana enforcement was not one of Sessions’ priorities, Gardner said, adding that he has reached out to the White House for further clarification.
12 questers were asked during the townhall, which drew nearly 10,000 callers, according to the Denver Post. Some added that they had not been paid to ask a question.
“Nothing is more important to me than listening to your concerns and hearing your important opinions,” Gardner told listeners at the beginning of the call.
Nearly all questions came from the Front Range, one from the Western Slope. No questions yielded from the Southeastern region of Colorado.
Colorado’s Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, did not hold a townhall during the recess either. Instead, he jetted off to Cuba where a spokesperson said Bennet intended to talk foreign trade, migration and human rights issues.
