'Where are you, John?'
Constituents share frustration with Rep. Moolenaar at ‘empty chair’ town hall
Editor's note: This story was written with the support of news partners WCMU Public Media.
Harrison citizen Jessica Trotter is the mother of a son with autism and the daughter of a mother who is battling cancer and Parkinson's Disease. She fears potential cuts to Medicaid and Social Security will disrupt her family’s healthcare and services.
“John Moolenaar, what's going to happen to my son?” Trotter asked to an empty wooden chair reserved for the representative of Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District. “My mother … relies on Medicaid and Social Security. Without those services, she is going to die. What are you, John Moolenaar, going to do to protect my mom?”
U.S. Rep. Moolenaar (R-Caladoina) and President Donald Trump have both stated they are not in support of cutting programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but financial experts say the cuts House Republicans are requesting will effect them.
Trotter was one of roughly 200 people packed into a room at the Isabella County Commission on Aging on Thursday, March 20, for an “empty chair” town hall. The event was hosted by Indivisible Central Michigan (ICM), a chapter of the national progressive movement organization Indivisible.
In a written statement to news partner WCMU Public Media, Moolenaar’s Communication Director Jacob Huner said that the congressman wasn’t going to participate in the town hall due to Indivisible’s sponsorship.
“Congressman Moolenaar will not be participating in any event sponsored by a radical (George) Soros-funded group with the sole purpose being for him to be heckled, screamed at or threatened,” he wrote. “So-called 'town halls' like this across the country have been overtaken by perpetually outraged activists, unfolding in chaos.”
Alice Ciccu is part of the leadership team of ICM and a key organizer of the town hall. ICM held a protest on March 11, where Ciccu and others spoke out against cuts to federal programs.
She said that Moolenaar isn't properly representing the district.
“He knew this was happening … but he refuses to see us,” Ciccu said. “We’re serious about wanting him to represent us, to represent the whole district. I don’t even know who he represents because he certainly doesn’t represent farmers or veterans, which he claims to.”
Former U.S Democratic House Candidate Michael Lynch speaks out against his former opponent Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Caledonia) during an “empty chair” town hall at the Isabella County Commission on Aging on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (CM Life | Blace Carpenter).
Several volunteer speakers showed their frustration with Moolenaar’s representation. One was Michael Lynch, the Democratic candidate who ran against Moolenaar in the 2024 election.
“John Moolenaar does not understand what it means to represent his constituents,” Lynch said. “For him, this is a job. Being a member of the House of Representatives is not a job, it's an honor. It is a privilege.”
Mount Pleasant Resident Ryon Skalitzky said that Moolenaar's silence on executive orders created by President Trump is his way of showing support.
“Your silence is your compliance, and your compliance is your support,” Skalitzky said. “You may not have power over Trump and his executive orders, but by not speaking out, you are showing that you are in favor of the decisions that he is making."
In the email, Huner criticized the group and stated they didn’t organize a town hall during former president Joe Biden’s time in office.
“It is not a coincidence Indivisible had no interest in a town hall for the last four years, as the Biden administration unleashed chaos at the Southern border, oversaw inflation that hurt Michigan families, defied the Supreme Court with his illegal student loan forgiveness and embarrassed the nation with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Huner wrote in an email.
Since Trump started his second presidency, town halls like one held in Isabella County have been popping up across the county, with many organized by Indivisible, which protests GOP agendas and fights for progressive policies, according to its website.
