TORRINGTON – A town hall with Congresswoman Harriet Hageman, originally scheduled for this Saturday, March 29, at 3 p.m., has been moved from the Rendezvous Center in Torrington to a virtual meeting. 

Only Goshen County residents will be permitted to attend the online event and questions must be submitted in advance. To attend, Goshen County residents must visit the Congresswoman’s website (www.hageman.house.gov/about/events) and complete a Google form linked there. The form asks for the resident’s name, email address, physical address, telephone number and a question for the congresswoman.

According to a press release from her office, Hageman will not be attending in-person due to “recent incidents at public events, credible threats to Hageman and the related national outbursts of politically motivated violence and attempts at intimidation.” 

Critics argue recent town halls have not led to violence which would justify prohibiting additional in-person events. No one was arrested at previous town hall meetings across the state, including in counties which are more politically divided than Goshen County. Furthermore, critics contend moving to a virtual town hall removes the opportunity for Wyomingites to voice their concerns on issues affecting them. In a virtual format, constituents will likely be muted,and only questions submitted in advance will be addressed by Hageman. 

There is also concern a virtual town hall excludes individuals who are not adept at technology or who hear about the change too late to register. Hageman’s office did not respond to multiple inquiries regarding how far in advance people must sign up to receive the meeting invitation.

In recent town hall meetings in other counties, Hageman has faced passionate questions about cuts to federal agency budgets, including the termination of Wyoming federal employees, reductions in federal grant funding, the constitutionality of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and potential cuts to veterans’ and Social Security programs. Some crowds, including in Rock Springs and Laramie, interrupted her with chants, heckling and other vocal opposition. The Congresswoman often responded aggressively to the jeering, adopting a tone which has been described as “condescending” including telling her constituents in Laramie, “It’s so bizarre to me how obsessed you are with federal government.”

Almost all major television news networks have covered the contentiousness of Hageman’s town halls. The topic has even been discussed on daytime television. On The View, host Sara Haines expressed shock at the congresswoman’s tone, stating, “She’s forgetting who her boss is, her boss is all those people she’s speaking to.” 

On Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough commented, “I held about 100 town hall meetings a year and I never once talked down to my audience. (…) You don’t do it that way.” 

Although there is frustration a virtual town hall prevents Hageman from hearing directly from her constituents, Wyoming residents can reach out to her office at any time at (202) 225-2311. Despite the limitations of a virtual format for the town hall, Goshen County residents are encouraged to attend to hear an update on current federal legislative activity.