FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2025
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
Rep. Van Orden Town Hall? Third District constituents invite their congressman to appear in-person to answer questions
As Van Orden continues to duck in-person town hall meetings, his constituents have officially invited him to appear next Thursday in Eau Claire
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Yesterday afternoon a group of Congressman Derrick Van Orden’s constituents visited his Eau Claire office to formally invite him to appear at an in-person town hall meeting next Thursday to answer questions and hear their concerns. The invitation also included signatures from more than 400 constituents demanding Van Orden begin holding accessible, in-person meetings.
Rep. Van Orden’s constituents delivering a formal invite and signatures from over 400 Third District residents demanding their congressman appear at in-person town hall meetings
“As constituents living and working in Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, we believe it’s more important than ever for our members of Congress to have an open and honest conversation with the people they represent,” constituents wrote in a letter presented to Van Orden’s staff. “Whether it’s rising costs, economic uncertainty, or the future of programs like Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP, the decisions made by Congress in the coming weeks will impact the lives of all Wisconsinites, including families and small businesses here in Western Wisconsin. This town hall will be an open opportunity for you to hear your constituents’ concerns and tell us more about where you stand on critical issues.”
The planned town hall meeting will take place on Thursday, March 20th, beginning at 3:30 PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire. This town hall is open to the public, those interested in attending can RSVP online here.
In recent weeks Republican members of Congress have been advised to avoid public town hall meetings and Van Orden abruptly pulled the plug on a scheduled event with members of his staff, saying too many constituents were interested in joining the event to express their concerns about rising prices due to tariffs, funding cuts for Medicaid and SNAP, and more tax handouts for corporations and billionaires.
Van Orden has doubled down on avoiding his constituents by threatening to prosecute them for showing up uninvited and comparing constituents’ demands to tactics from “Nazi Germany.”
Last week Opportunity Wisconsin launched a paid media campaign to demand Van Orden appear at a town hall meeting and launched WhereIsDVO.com for constituents to sign on and submit questions for their congressman.
Media interested in covering the town hall should RSVP to press@opportunitywisconsin.org.
###
