Dear Sen. Mike Lee,
I listened to your “tele-town hall” tonight (Aug. 1).
I used to take offense that you would call these phone calls a “tele-town hall.” I've attended many of these calls. Then tonight you took the term “tele-town hall” to an even more offensive low.
First, most, if not all, of this call was pre-recorded. I'm not providing evidence of this; it is clear to most individuals who just listen to it.
Second, individuals who called in with questions were immediately disconnected from the line without opportunity to provide rebuttal. You spoke as the authority with an extreme level of defensive tone and dismissal.
During this “town hall,” you stated you wouldn’t be back in Utah for a bit, but that your constituents would be granted the privilege to two extra “town halls.”
Is this your standard for constituent involvement? Are we supposed to be grateful for these nonopportunities of extra, pre-recorded “town halls”?
You clearly underestimate the intelligence of your constituents to see through your doublespeak and clear splicing of pre-recorded segments of a supposed “tele-town hall.”
Your constituents are not dumb. That “town hall,” however, showed that you may have deficits with underestimating the people of Utah.
Alicia Bailey Smith, West Jordan