This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

I was among the multitudes who were shut out of Rep. Jason Chaffetz's Feb. 9 town hall meeting in Cottonwood Heights. I watched the live stream and was appalled and disheartened by the congressman's obvious display of arrogance, cynicism, sarcasm, dismissiveness and mockery of his constituency.

The lack of microphones for the questioners was a clear indication that there was no genuine interest in hearing the voices of dissent in the auditorium.

One of the many low points in his remarks had to do with his continued insistence that the president is not subject to the laws surrounding conflicts of interest. This is only true to an extent and not absolute. Chaffetz needs to exercise his considerable power as chairman of the House Oversight Committee to investigate how President Donald Trump's worldwide business connections, particularly in Russia, influence our foreign and domestic policy.

Another remark that was designed to rile the crowd concerned the newly confirmed secretary of education. Chaffetz sarcastically asserted that he would get rid of Betsy DeVos by eliminating the Department of Education. Clearly, Chaffetz exhibits total disdain for our segment of his constituency, and continues to thumb his nose in our direction. He ignores our concerns because our Republican-dominated Legislature successfully gerrymandered the congressional districts so that no challenger from the Democratic Party could ever possibly win an election again.

Nevertheless, we will not be pushed aside and will not remain silent while he and his cohorts run roughshod over the values of free speech, free public education and inclusiveness that constitute the bedrock of our great democracy.

Barry Levine

Cottonwood Heights