April 17 – Political Forum and Q & A in Oakdale CA
6:00pm – 8:30

4 speakers total:
> Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock
> Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon
> Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa
> Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth

Our member presence at the meeting reported back that the audience was full at 800-1000 people in attendance, several of them actively and loudly expressing their distaste during Jeff Denham’s time to speak.

The audience was provided colored cards to hold aloft to show agreement or disagreement with the concurrent topics. The audience was also given a chance to submit questions for the congressmen to answer after they spoke.

The moderator, Vito Chiesa, read the audience’s questions one at a time, requesting the question asker to stand so that the speaker answering question could address them directly. Jeff Denham provided for the most part noncommittal answers and did not seem prepared to handle a difficult crowd. He was not willing to offer how he would vote on specific bills, stating that he did not know enough about the bills in question to commit to or actively discuss his perspective on them.

Denham stated he is in favor of the ban on immigrants and in favor of the construction of the border wall. He stated he does believe in climate change and is opposed to the Automatic Use of military abroad (A.U.). He stated he is in favor of Dreamers (children of undocumented immigrants that were brought into the country as children) being granted citizenship IF they have served in the military. He also is in favor of increasing water storage in California.

Jeff Denham’s aide Dana Ferreira will be speaking at our next study group meeting on Wed., April 26, 1:30, at Marsha Love’s home.