Betsy Markey is Running Scared

Betsy Markey is Running Scared

Despite Constituent Questions Left Unanswered, Markey Cancels Town Hall

Washington– With August over and recess coming to an end, Coloradans are left with unanswered questions from their Congresswoman Betsy Markey and it doesn’t look like they will be getting the answers they so rightfully deserve. After being AWOL during the first half of August and hanging constituents out to dry, Markey came home to a welcoming of disapproval and dissatisfaction. Despite reluctantly scheduling town halls, Markey figured out a way to further ignore her constituency by dancing around and dodging questions that were asked, holding town halls in fewer than a quarter of the counties in her district, and eventually canceling town halls due to “scheduling conflicts.”

“What could possibly be more important to Betsy Markey than listening to her constituents’ concerns over a government-run healthcare bill that will increase taxes and add to the impending mountain of debt they already face?,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Markey has turned her back repeatedly on Coloradans and they have had enough. If voting to increase their taxes and strip hard working families of their last dime isn’t enough, she has to throw the cherry on top by ignoring and disregarding their questions.”

In the past month, Betsy Markey has danced and dodged questions at recent town halls:

“I attended the Colorado State University Congress on Your Corner meeting with Rep. Betsy Markey. My experience was similar to that mentioned in the Coloradoan. My question was not answered; rather, I was provided with an unrelated talking point response.” (Letter to the Editor, “Question ignored at Markey meeting,” Coloradoan, 9/02/2009)

According to Betsy Markey’s August 13 press release, she is already neglecting 14 of the 18 counties in her district. Why can’t Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Crowley, Otero, Bent, Prowers and Baca counties share their concerns?

To make it worse, Markey is now cancelling meetings due to “scheduling conflicts” and sending staff to do her dirty work:

“Rep. Betsy Markey’s staff will conduct a health-care forum from 1-3 p.m. today at the Windsor Recreation Center, 250 N. 11th St., but Markey will not be in attendance because of a last-minute scheduling change.” (Sharon Dunn, “Health care reform continues to draw debate in Markey forums,” The Tribune, 9/02/2009)

With congress reconvening on Tuesday, Markey will have nowhere to run and Coloradans will finally get the answers they so desperately want.

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