Congresswoman Val Demings schedules Town Hall in Apopka

Townhalls just aren't what they used to be.

There was a time when a townhall meeting in an incumbent's precinct was akin to political safe space. The got easy questions. They were cheered. They recited sound bites to an adoring crowd, and they went home feeling good about themselves and about their chances for re-election.

But those days seem to be a relic of the past.

Today, congressmen and women can expect hard questions at a minimum, and often an adversarial, verbal, politically-plugged-in audience that is there to get answers and air out their grievances with the government.

Congress is in its Easter recess for the next two weeks, which means many of them will be attending townhalls. Congresswoman Val Demings is among them.

Back in February, she held her first town hall since being elected to represent Florida's 10th U.S. Congressional District in the Dr. Phillips area. Her second will be in Apopka this Tuesday, April 11th in the Apopka City Council Chambers from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Despite the tension some in Congress are experiencing, Demings welcomes the hard questions.

Representative Val Demings

“A lot is happening in Washington and here at home, and it’s important for me to hear from my constituents,” said Demings.”I want them to be a part of the conversation so I can take their concerns back with me to DC.”

During the campaign, Demings held a "Lift Every Voice Listening Tour in Apopka. Use this link to see what happened at that meeting.

Earlier this week, Demings completed a question and answer session with The Apopka Voice readers. Two of the issues were about President Donald Trump and about the Dream Act.

Demings is pressing President Trump to release his tax returns and his connections to Russia.

"...As a member of the Oversight Committee, I have been pushing for and will continue to work to ensure a bipartisan and independent investigation into President Trump’s personal, professional, and financial ties to Russia. I have voted for legislation that would force President Trump to release his tax returns and will continue to push for that legislation, specifically the Presidential Tax Transparency Act. I take my role on the Oversight committee very seriously, in that role I believe we must hold all our elected officials, including myself, and all of those appointed at the executive branch, to the highest of standards. I will continue to seek transparency and the truth in this role."

She champions the plight of the "Dreamers" through protection of the DACA.

"It’s been very troubling for me to see some of the stories in recent weeks regarding DACA recipients. I will continue to fight to ensure our nation keeps the promises we made to the “Dreamers.” We encourage anyone who believes they are being illegally targeted to contact our office. We will do our best to connect them with the appropriate resources. As a member of Congress and a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I will continue to ensure that our immigration laws are being followed and my constituents are protected."

Admission to the Demings' townhall is free. The Apopka City Hall Council Chambers are located at 120 East Main Street.