March 06, 2017
Sen. Pat Toomey held a live-streamed online conversation Monday afternoon.
It was billed as an opportunity for constituents to ask the Pennsylvania Republican questions, including some from social media. The session lasted just more than 15 minutes and was broadcast on live in CBS3's Facebook page.
Jessica Dean, one of the station's news anchors, hosted the Q&A.
Her first question to Toomey – which Dean said had been posed by multiple Facebook users – was whether he planned to hold a an in-person town hall meeting with constituents.
"I don't have a date set. I'm sure we'll do one at some point," Toomey said. "I've done more in-person town hall meetings than any other elected Pennsylvania official that I know of."
Pressed about whether such a town hall would take place in Philadelphia, the senator responded, "Probably."
Below is the entire video from the online conversation:
Earlier today, Toomey posted to his social media accounts that he had met with leaders of from the Tuesdays with Toomey group which has organized weekly demonstrations at his Pennsylvania senate office.
Toomey called the meeting "constructive," while Tuesdays with Toomey's leaders tweeted they were "disappointed that he refused to commit to a town hall" with constituents.
#TuesdaysWithToomey met w @SenToomey in #Philly today. Disappointed that he refused to commit to a town hall with his #realPA constituents
— Tuesdays With Toomey (@TuesdaysToomey) March 6, 2017
Amid complaints from constituents that U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey isn't responsive to their concerns, the Pennsylvania Republican will hold a digital town hall Monday afternoon.
The event will be hosted by CBS3 at the station's Philadelphia studios. The station said the conversation will be broadcast via a Facebook Live video, and questions for the senator can be posted in the comments.
Toomey, who was re-elected to another six-year term in November, has been under fire from some who accuse him of ignoring their calls for him to stand up to the agenda and rhetoric of President Donald Trump.
Some are also concerned with his stance on certain issues, such as the proposed defunding of Planned Parenthood and repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
The senator's offices have been flooded by calls, letters, emails, protests and even faxes since his victory.
On Tuesday, 11 members of the "Tuesdays With Toomey" group were arrested during a sit-in at his office in Center City. The senator has since moved to offices in the U.S. Customs House in Old City.
While he hasn't held an in-person town hall meeting since 2013, Toomey did hold a "tele-townhall" in February, taking 10 call-in questions from constituents.
Toomey's Pennsylvania counterpart in Washington, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, announced Wednesday a series of upcoming traditional town halls, with the first to be held March 12 in Philadelphia.
