“We are in a Constitutional crisis,” U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley told a crowd assembled for a town hall at Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario on Sunday.
“Right now, we are in big trouble, but I don’t think we’re lost,” he said. “I’ve never seen a situation where the president was threatening Congress members, particularly in the House, and they are concerned for their safety and the safety of their families.”
Merkley advised civic involvement, urging those in the audience to contact their Congressional representatives to let them know which issues are important.
“Now is the time where we all use our voices,” he said. “In a few months, people are going to start thinking about the next election. Midterms are coming up. We’re in the middle of a fight. Stay the course, don’t give up.”
Merkley spoke Sunday to about 60 people, most who appeared to share his concerns.
“Last year, the Supreme Court found invisible ink in the Constitution,” when the court gave the president immunity for all criminal acts committed during his official duties, Merkley said. “I was stunned. Our founders were terrified of a president becoming a king. The law is clear.”
Merkley said he’s concerned about the concentration of power. He said he has joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and 32 other senators in sponsoring the No Kings Act to ensure the three branches of government retain their authority.
“I am ringing the alarm bells for America,” he said.
Ontario Mayor Debbie Folden introduced Merkley, who then recognized local firefighters – Mark McBride, from the Vale Rural Fire Protection Association and Jeff Burkhardt from the Ironside Rural Fire Protection Association. The men were presented with a flag that had flown over the US Capitol.
Merkley also encouraged those in attendance to continue making his office aware of their concerns.
“We get your phone calls,” he said, adding that last week, his office received more than 6,000 calls each day.
Eight attendees were given the opportunity to a question during the hour-long town hall meeting. Some attendees focused on immigration, and supporting migrant farm workers as they work in the American food system.
Merkley said that in 2023 there was bipartisan support in the Senate on border security, farmworker protections, a path to citizenship for DREAMers and family reunification “but it was not taken up in the House.”
“I am hoping we can find common ground again and come to a common sense compromise,” he said.
Leslie Riley said she is concerned President Donald Trump is “trying to take the power of Congress away” through his executive orders which bypass the checks and balances.
“Are the House and Senate prepared to take their power back?” she asked.
Merkley answered that as ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, he questioned Russell Vought during his confirmation hearing for is appointment as director of the Office of Budget Management.
The senator said Vought told the committee that “‘we don’t have to follow the law. We disagree with the Supreme Court. We can do whatever we want. I labeled him the most dangerous man in America.”
Merkley encouraged self-care, saying, “it’s OK to shut it off. Don’t watch TV, stay off the internet,” to get a break from the news.
Clint Shock of Ontario said he had a very frustrating experience with the Social Security Administration when he wanted to ensure his benefits weren’t changing. He said he advised he needed an appointment to talk to anyone – and the appointment had to be made by phone.
He spent hours waiting on hold before he was finally given an appointment at the local office for the next day.
“This is the intentional defunding and dismantling of Social Security,” he said.
Merkley said in his years of town hall meetings, “most questions (about Social Security) are about funding. I never dreamed the discussion would be about the intentional defunding and dismantling of Social Security. It’s absurd. Of people receiving Social Security, 50 percent rely on that check for 90-100 percent of their monthly expenses.”
He added there’s a move to require facial ID for Social Security recipients, a move he opposes.
“Facial identification is an incredibly powerful tool governments use to control citizens,” he said. “The idea of shutting down Social Security offices should be brought to Congress.”
Eddie Melendrez, a member of the Ontario Diversity Advisory Committee and an employee of the Oregon Food Bank, asked Merkley if he has a plan to “fight back against proposed cuts to SNAP,” the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
He also asked about supporting wildland firefighters who in the area are largely Hispanic.
“They get poor pay, no benefits, no medical care,” he said.
Merkley answered the SNAP question first, saying that Republicans in the House had rewritten budget legislation in a way that increases the deficit – and puts SNAP funding at risk.
“This bill has to die, and I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it,” he said.
Regarding firefighters, he has efforts in place to provide off-season jobs to wildland firefighters so can receive benefits and provide security to their families.
To William Alexander’s question about the proposed sell-off of public lands, Merkley said the plan is to “cut staff, make it dysfunctional and sell off assets. Post offices are a good example. The people lose.”
Once the workforce is cut or eliminated, assets are sold and “billionaires buy it. This is a legacy we’ve been fortunate to receive from our parents and grandparents. We owe it to our kids and grandkids to save public lands.”
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