A swarm of protesters shouted down Texas Congressman Pete Sessions during a massive town hall on Saturday while he was offering a defense of the current Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
“I understand why you’re so frustrated,” Sessions told roughly 2,000 constituents who had filled an auditorium in Dallas.
“Shut your mouth,” one audience member yelled back, according to local media.
“Pete must go,” others yelled, while some attendees urged their neighbors to “let him talk.”
The GOP congressman, who has come out in support of the replacement legislation, was peppered with questions about the Congressional Budget Office report that estimated that 24 million fewer Americans would have health insurance under the Republican plan.
“Every single American would have a shot at coverage without requirements. It would do away with the business mandate and the individual mandate and the ‘Cadillac tax,'” Sessions had told WFAA in an interview before the town hall.
“Outside of that, we believe it would be equal to or better than anything that existed today from the Affordable Care Act. I am confident we can do that,” he added.
Several Republican lawmakers have encountered hostile crowds at town hall events across the country, with protesters urging them to oppose the healthcare legislation and support investigations into President Trump’s alleged ties to Russia.
“I’d like to prove that we can do this well and right,” Sessions said of healthcare reform when he kicked off his town hall on Saturday. “I intend to be forthright and honest with you.”
