Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, speaks Aug. 11 in Chico. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Listening is the key to finding solutions. That wasn’t happening at the town hall hosted by Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, in Chico on Aug. 11.

Neither the congressman nor most of the more than 800 people in the standing room only Elks Club building seemed to care what the other had to say.

As Katie Hawley, a Chico City Council member, said, “If Chico City Council was a public event only once every eight years, I think we would have a room exactly like this.”

This was LaMalfa’s first town hall in eight years in what is the biggest city in his district.

It’s a good assumption most in the audience didn’t vote for LaMalfa, who was first elected in 2012. He is a fourth generation rice farmer.

Though one woman who spoke identified as a former Republican. “My party left me,” she said. “You are asking us not to believe what we are seeing with our own eyes. We cannot believe what comes out of your mouth.”

LaMalfa seemed disinterested and angry from the get-go. It was as though he were there to check a box, but not to listen.

An interesting aspect of the format is one side of the auditorium had a line for people to ask questions, while the other was for people who wanted to make statements to which LaMalfa was not to respond. He didn’t always adhere to that rule made by his staff, yet then he chastised the audience for not doing what he wanted.

One person called bull shit to something he said. LaMalfa condemned that language. Does he condemn Trump for using the same word? The president has a penchant for the word. In 2018 he called certain countries “shitholes”. This summer on Truth Social he wrote: “Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker.”

LaMalfa did say he wants the Epstein files to be made public. To that everyone seemed to agree.

He also is against Texas and any state redistricting mid-decade. Again, agreement among the majority.

LaMalfa repeatedly blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom and former President Joe Biden for various things. He didn’t seem to want to take responsibility. That was the problem. People know there is plenty of blame to go around for so many issues. It’s not black and white. LaMalfa, though, seems to think he is correct on every decisions, every vote he’s made.

It’s one thing to disagree with people, but it’s another to not explain why you do what you do. He didn’t even try. Maybe it would not have mattered. Not to the rowdy folks who were there. It would have mattered to me.

LaMalfa talked about the need for due process. To which I shouted something about immigrants deserving due process.

I would like to know why he dismisses Jan. 6 as inconsequential. I would like to know why he thinks U.S. taxpayers should continue to be giving Israel money and arms. I would like to know why managers, CEOs and other company executives are not being punished for hiring undocumented workers—why only the workers are being rounded up.

I, like others, want to know why my emails to him are not answered.

He had cards on a table in the lobby where people could leave comments. I did. I asked some of these same questions.

I left unimpressed, disappointed, and to a certain extent betrayed by my representative in Congress.

I also left hopeful, encouraged, and inspired by the hundreds who showed up on a Monday at 7:30 in the morning to stand up and be counted. Our voices matter. Let’s hope someone takes this energy and turns into a winning campaign to send LaMalfa back to his farm.