FroshUpdate: A Throwback to the 1920s
Rep. Allen West dominates the freshman news cycle again today: a radio host is arrested and handcuffed at one of his town halls, he lays out four conditions for a yes vote on raising the debt ceiling, and it’s shown he raises the vast majority of his money from individual donors. In other news, protestors clashed outside Rep. Richard Hanna’s office, with some singing a 1920s-themed song to protest his vote on Paul Ryan’s budget proposal.
Also: would you pay $1,000 to dine with the Donald? One freshman did. This is FroshUpdate for April 28, 2011.
THROWBACK: VIDEO: Protesters clash outside Rep. Richard Hanna's (NY-24) office:"They call him hard-hearted Hanna, he ain't no Pollyanna. He's the meanest man in town," sang members of the group. http://bit.ly/m6yNl9 // The protest began at the local post office ended with a march to the district office of the man they call "Hard-Hearted Hanna", after a song from the 1920's. http://bit.ly/iT9nth
A COOL GRAND: Freshman Rep. Frank Guinta (NH-1), among 23 others, paid $1,000 to lunch with and listen to Donald Trump (who said he'll do "retail politicking" if he runs for president) in an exclusive setting overlooking the Piscataqua River.http://bit.ly/mFZSm7
MORE TOWNHALL MADNESS: VIDEO: Radio Host Arrested And Handcuffed At Allen West's (FL-22) Town Hall. During the meeting, West had responded to a question about Medicare when Nicole Sandler, a former radio host on the liberal Air America network, began shouting from the audience, before proceeding to be arrested for it.http://bit.ly/hQOod9 // Sandler was arrested, charged with trespassing, then released on bail after 17 hours in police custody. http://bit.ly/kmHjaG
BEDLAM, TOO: The same night, fellow Florida freshman Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-08) held a town hall which ended in "bedlam," as a group of hecklers consistently booed and jeered over Webster's comments. http://bit.ly/msjK8n
FroshUpdate is a regular look at how the freshman class is making news. Add us on twitter @freshmenFF, or tell others to join our mailing list by emailing frosh@frumforum.com with 'subscribe' in the subject line.
BERG TO SENATE? Sen. John Hoeven says his House colleague and freshmen Congressman Rick Berg (ND-AL) is likely to run for U.S. Senate. http://politi.co/kh6CXy
WEST’S CONDITIONS: Allen West's message to Obama: "No raising of the debt ceiling unless we have spending control measures." If his four stated conditions are not met: "I will vote no now, and in the future! Furthermore, I will work endlessly to persuade my colleagues to do the same." http://bit.ly/kqCC9t
INDIVIDUAL DONORS FUND WEST'S CAMPAIGN: Ten of the 14 freshmen members of the House Tea Party Caucus collected at least a third of their campaign contributions this year from political action committees and other special-interest groups. An exception is Allen West: Only four percent of the $434,000 West raised in this year’s first quarter came from such committees. The bulk came from individual donors. http://bit.ly/iLjrAb
THE STAKES: VIDEO: Rep. Raul Labrador (ID-01): "In twelve hours, we're spending as much money in the government as it takes to run the state of Idaho." http://bit.ly/kok6pM