In His First In-Person Town Hall, Impatient And Unruly Voters Confront Congressman Lawler

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Congressman Mike Lawler on stage at his Clarkstown High School Town Hall

April 28, 2025

By Barrett Seaman–

It was clear from the staging of Sunday night’s first open “Town Hall” appearance before voters that 17^th District Congressman Mike Lawler and his staff were concerned about the growing number of similar public appearances by Republican office holders around the country in which angry constituents have demanded explanations for their support of Trump administration policies.

Security was tight at West Nyack’s Clarkstown South High School. Attendance was limited to residents of the district who submitted questions in advance. Each was assigned a six-figure number later drawn from a drum that could have been borrowed from a Bingo parlor. With dimmed lights that made it hard for audience members to read the numbers, followed by prolonged searches for the questioners in the auditorium, the process proved tedious and counterproductive in staff efforts to maintain civility in a restless audience.

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The event was moderated by two local politicians—one Republican, one Democrat, who spent the first seven minutes of the event laying out ground rules: show respect: no standing unless invited; no screaming or whistling, with the threat of expulsion should these rules be violated.

The audience was estimated to be about 700, nearly filling the spacious auditorium. Except for the frock coats, yarmulkes and tzitzits that identified members of Rockland’s Hasidic community (which has been a significant source of Lawler support in his two successful elections), it was difficult to ascertain the political leanings in the audience, that is until Lawler spoke.

Judging purely by the decibel level of audience reaction to statements made, the lion’s share belonged to critics of Lawler or more specifically Trump. When the Congressman took the stage, dressed in jeans and a blazer, he began by describing himself as the fourth most bipartisan member of the House, rated as the most effective freshman in his first term, the author of 11 pieces of legislation, six of which were signed by President Biden.

The crowd wasn’t buying it.

The very first question drew loud jeers. “What are you doing to stand in opposition to this administration, and what specifically ae you doing that warrants the label ‘moderate?’”

Lawler’s answer, “my record speaks for itself,” drew more boos, which increased when he placed blame for the current affordability crisis on the Biden administration’s trillion-dollar spending bills. He continued with a lecture on the evils of deficit spending and the need to lift the cap on SALT (State and Local Tax deductions). As his discourse migrated into a riff on tariffs, which he said were previously endorsed by Democrats Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders, the crowd began to chant, “Blah, blah, blah, blah….”

The circus atmosphere persisted for most of the two-hour session, with the Congressman doing his level best to hold his ground, while repeatedly deflecting direct questions. When one woman asked, “how can we let somebody head our military when he can’t even control himself?” Lawler focused his response on Defense Secretary Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging platform to discuss an ongoing military operation but then quickly noted that those operations “have gone well.” As for Hegseth’s overall performance on the job, Lawler simply observed that he had been confirmed by the Senate and that “the President is not firing him.” Out of control spending by the Pentagon, he suggested, was at least in part the fault of former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a Biden appointee.

A number of questioners probed Lawler for his position on widely reported plans by the administration to cut Medicaid. He repeated his promise not to cut aid to any “eligible” Medicaid recipients while arguing that “able-bodied adults” should be subject to work requirements and that “$50 billion in fraudulent payments” had gone out the door.

When questioners asked about the House reconciliation bill that many analysts have said cannot be achieved without some cuts to Medicaid, Lawler stated that the Senate reconciliation number of no more than $4 billion in cuts would be the starting point instead of the House bill’s $880 billion in cuts–just the beginning of the traditionally lengthy budget adoption process. In his clearest articulation of his position, he said, “I will not support a reconciliation bill that cuts Medicaid benefits to eligible recipients, and I will not support a reconciliation bill that does not lift the cap on SALT.”

Lawler did voice direct criticism of the administration’s sweeping deportation activities, agreeing that they should abide by the Supreme Court’s 9-0 ruling and facilitate the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia and others wrongfully deported.

He was also critical of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statements on autism and vaccines but supportive of RFK Jr.’s plan to ban certain food additives. He said he has written numerous letters to the new HHS secretary urging restoration of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund and maintenance of the LGBTQ+ suicide hotline. He also voiced support for PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a program with global impact.

At the heart of the friction that characterized this first town hall was a pervasive sense of impatience from an audience that clearly wanted candid answers. Lawler, either by habit or intention, took a somewhat pedantic approach by explaining the complicated process of governance (while also blaming Democrats whenever possible).

Voter impatience reached a high point during one of the Congressman’s mini-lectures on the balance of power in the federal government. “Both Congress and the judiciary have to assert their rightful power,” Lawler said. That triggered a chant from the crowd: “Do it, do it, do it!”

Last month, Lawler’s staff announced that the Congressman will hold four town halls: the Clarkstown High gathering will be followed by one in Westchester in May, then two in June, both Putnam and Dutchess counties.

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