Another filled town hall: Maxine Dexter in Gresham

GRESHAM, Ore. (KOIN) — The recent spate of packed town halls in Oregon and elsewhere continued Saturday as freshman US Rep. Maxine Dexter spoke with an overflow crowd at Centennial High School in Gresham on Saturday afternoon.

Dexter, who introduced the “Stop Musk Act” in early February, heard many concerns from those gathered at the town hall about Elon Musk, the billionaire who currently has President Trump’s ear and is overseeing DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency.

The Stop Musk Act would ban retaliation “against any federal employee who stops, or attempts to stop, unlawful or unconstitutional actions by Elon Musk against federal agencies, and for other purposes.”

“These are bills that may, in some regards be symbolic because we’re probably not going to get these things passed,” Dexter said. “But it’s important for people to know that we’re fighting for them.”

About 1200 people at the town hall also sounded off on veterans affairs, the economy and the Russia-Ukraine war. About 50 people were turned away when they reached capacity.

Dexter, who replaced Earl Blumenauer as representative of Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, recently made the Daily Show for using an expletive in a public speech about Trump.

Asked about it on Saturday, Dexter said she does not regret it.

“You know, I don’t,” she told KOIN 6 News. “Naturally I am going to want to reflect back to people that I’m hearing them. And so I think that it made me uncomfortable. But clearly you can tell it was awkward, as my children have said. But, the reality was that I needed people to understand that this is not something that I’m afraid to speak out about.”

Hearing Dexter swear seemed to be of little concern to those at the town hall. They cared more about the issues facing the country at this time.

And as with other recent town halls, many said it was their first time coming to one. They said they felt compelled to come because of what the Trump Administration is doing.

But others who have been involved a long time told KOIN 6 News they can already see a difference these well attended town halls make.

As one voter said, “They have gotten more people on both sides involved.”