Topics covered in Sen. Casey's town hall included the Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood funding, protection of LGBTQ individuals and President Trump's connections to Russia.
Credit: Bill BurkeU.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) drew 700 spectators to Penn’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology on Sunday night.
It was his first town hall in five years, Philadelphia Magazine reported.
Most of the conference was a question-and-answer session on how Casey plans to fight the Republican Congress members’ plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
“I don’t call it repeal and replace,” Casey said of the alternative to Obamacare, according to Penn Live. “I call it repeal and decimate.”
Philadelphia Magazine described his “impassioned” attitude at the town hall — he rallied the audience members with a plea to “Keep fighting! Keep working! Keep marching!” and added that he plans to “fight like hell” against the Republicans in Congress, while asking the spectators to do the same.
Philly.com reported that Casey said he would oppose plans to cut Planned Parenthood funding as well.
Penn Live listed other issues Casey addressed at the town hall. For instance, on President Donald Trump’s connection to Russia, Casey shared hopes of a more in-depth investigation on behalf of the government.
“I would hope the president would be as tough on Vladimir Putin as he is on some Americans,” Casey said.
As for Trump’s appointment of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, Penn Live reported that Casey would not provide a complete opinion until after Gorsuch’s confirmation hearing, which starts on March 20. He did, however, express worry that Gorsuch could turn the Supreme Court “more corporate.”
Casey expressed opposition to privatizing medical care for veterans and denounced Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist. He added that Congress should pass measures to protect LGBTQ individuals and discussed aims of creating laws to protect LGBTQ students from bullying in Pennsylvania’s public schools.
Opposition came when Casey said that Pennsylvania should utilize both clean energy and fracking, reported Philly.com.
Casey’s office said that Sunday’s town hall is the first of several such events across Pennsylvania that will reach areas “outside the liberal Southeast,” Philly.com added.
Philadelphia Magazine noted that Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) has been criticized for not holding town hall events.
Correction: A previous version of this article referred to Bob Casey as a "Philadelphia senator." He is a Pennsylvania senator. The DP regrets the error.
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