I just got a phone call from a friend living in Somerset, Kentucky (Hal Rogers district). She said she called Hal Rogers office to leave a message about a comment he made that is being reported in the Kentucky newspapers.
Kentucky newspaper reports
"With this new proposal, the president has once again demonstrated his willingness to act unilaterally - against the spirit of our Constitution, against the law of Congress, and against the will of the American people - to make misguided, unwarranted changes to our immigration laws," Rogers said in a statement.
"His flagrant disregard for our nation's laws is not only disappointing but deeply unsettling - I won't stand for it, and the American people won't stand for it," he said.
According to my friend, it was Rogers "
I won't stand for it" comment that caused her to call Rogers DC office.
When she called, a female answered the phone and said she'd be happy to pass along "any comment" she has for Rep. Rogers. So, my friend said she dictated a comment to Rogers receptionist:
Dear Hal Rogers (comma)
You've only worked 70 days this year (period)
You just got off of a 52 day vacation (period)
You are leaving work today for an extended one week long vacation (period)
When you say "I won't stand for it" you sound foolish since you are not letting your work get in the way of your vacation days (period)
Sincerely
C. Clark
Somerset, KY.
Here's where it got dicey. Ms. Clark asked the receptionist to repeat back her message to make sure everything was included. Rather than read the comment back the receptionist said "
I'll make sure he gets your message." Clark asked again for her to repeat the comment, the receptionist said, "
no" and hung up.
My friend wasn't satisfied that Rogers was really going to get her message so she called back and this time spoke with "Ashley."
Ashely apologized for the other receptionist hanging up and said she'd "be happy to pass along any message to Rep. Rogers." Clark says she gave the exact same message to Ashley and when Clark asked her to read back her comment and Ashley said "no, I don't have time." Clark says she said, "I want to make sure my Representative gets my message, please read it back to me." Again, Ashely said "I don't have time, I have phones to answer" and hung up.
Ironically, the Kentucky newspaper reports that Hal Rogers concluded his statement with,
ROGERS: "We have heard the collective outrage of the American people,"
I find it very hard to believe that a Representative's receptionist does not have time to read a constituent's short message back. But, what I find harder to believe is it seems people who answer phones for members of Congress go out of their way to be rude to constituents. That said, to me it smells like the receptionist has no intention of giving Hal Rogers C. Clark's message.
So, I ask you, my DKos family, to please call Hal Rogers DC office and ask them if they really are giving C. Clark's message to Hal Rogers and if they really wrote her message down.
Thank you.
Hal Rogers
Washington DC Office
2406 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4601
(202) 225-0940 fax
David Thomas, Chief of Staff
Megan O'Donnell, Legislative Director
Shannon Rickett, Legislative Assistant
Ashley Nichols, Legislative Assistant
Alex Pinson, Legislative Correspondent
Kathryn Kennedy, Staff Assistant
Chelsea Whalen, Office Manager
Julia Casey, Scheduler