Still No Town Hall; Now Gardner Refusing to be Anywhere Near Dissenters

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner’s (R-CO) spokesman, Casey Contres, told Steamboat Today on Friday that Gardner had to cancel a planned lunch with local GOP officials “in order to accommodate a necessary healthcare meeting.”

But Republicans in Steamboat Springs told Steamboat Today yesterday that, in fact, Gardner canceled their meeting to avoid a protest in front of the lunch venue.

Steamboat Today’s Lisa Schlichtman reports:

/excerpt
An email from the chair of the Routt County Republicans confirms U.S. Senator Cory Gardner’s office canceled his private lunch with a small group of local supporters in Steamboat Springs Friday because of a protest that was taking place outside of Carl’s Tavern where the meeting was to be held.

“I just talked to Cory’s folks,” Republican chair Don Mathis’ wrote in an email he sent out Friday morning to those planning to attend the lunch with Gardner and that was obtained by the Steamboat Today late Friday night. “His security staff feels that due to the current threat assessment and current events that he will have to cancel today’s meeting at Carl’s Tavern.”

When asked what “current events” he was referencing in his email, Mathis acknowledged it was the “Everyone’s Voice is Important” protest, organized by Routt County Democrats after they learned Gardner was going to be in Steamboat for a private meeting.

//end excerpt

Gardner’s office isn’t returning calls to clarify why the meeting was cancelled. Nor is it clear what constitutes a “necessary healthcare meeting” for Gardner, given that he’s refused to hold a town hall meeting on the topic.

Read more: http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/96952/still-no-town-hall-and-now-gardner-is-refusing-to-be-anywhere-near-a-protest-against-him