WATCH: GOP Representative Says He Sent Protesters To A ‘Mental Institution’


Amid countless statements that the protesters showing up at town hall meetings all over the country are being paid to be there (I’m still waiting for my check), a Republican representative from Washington state claims he’s had people placed in mental institutions for protesting.

Yes, really.

Lock Them Up

Seeing what his colleagues are facing across the country, Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) decided he was a little too scared to face his constituents. Instead, he streamed an interview with a local station on Facebook Live. With pre-selected questions.

During this interview, he told KCTS-TV that his office has received threats:

“We’ve had to call the police. We’ve had people arrested. We’ve had people placed into a mental institution. I don’t want to do that.”

Wait, what?

He’s had people — plural — “placed into a mental institution”? What is going on in Washington state?

Hundreds of Reichert’s constituents marched to his office on Thursday, demanding an audience with their representative. According to the Seattle Times:

“Dianne Niemann, of Issaquah, said that while it may be uncomfortable, Reichert owed it to his district to face questions in person. ‘I say open up and talk to people,’ she said.”

Reichert also seems a little shocked by the anger, telling KCTS-TV that his staff fielded over 700 calls in one day, and about 85 percent of them were negative. He thought it should be more “50/50” positive and negative.

Yes, Representative Reichert. People are angry. People want to be heard. And people are woke. Get used to it.

Reichert Could Almost Be Forgiven …

The thing about Reichert is that he’s not a Trump guy. He actually makes some good points once in a while and openly states that he didn’t vote for Trump. The Seattle Times reported:

Of the videotape in which Trump was recorded boasting in 2005 about assaulting women, Reichert said that had he still been in law enforcement: ‘I would have arrested that person; that was a confession.'”

Reichert also criticized Trump’s Muslim ban and his characterization of the media as “the enemy of the people.”

Now, I’m not saying I’m about to start sending campaign donations to the guy, but he shouldn’t be afraid of holding town hall meetings. He’s shown that he has at least a partial spine, even if 97 percent of his policy positions are backwards.

But sending protesters to mental institutions? Holding virtual town hall meetings because you’re too scared to face your constituents?

Not cool.

Watch the full interview below.

Featured image via screenshot from KCTS-TV video

Carrie is a progressive mom and wife living in the upper Midwest.