The Student Newspaper of MSU Denver
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VOL. 40
NO. 01
AUGUST 16, 2017
themetropolitan
Cory Gardner blitzes three town halls in one day By Madison Lauterbach mlauter1@msudenver.edu
Support from his constituents quickly faded, and about 15 minutes into the meeting Gardner
After months of protests and
received boos and criticism that
complaints from constituents,
lasted the majority of the hour-
Sen. Cory Gardner held three
and-a-half long event. Tensions
town hall meetings throughout
mounted further as Gardner
Colorado on Aug. 15.
responded to one question
The event followed almost two weeks after Gardner’s first town hall in more than a year on Aug. 4.
where he said that he thought Trump was fit to be President. Gardner also fielded
The anger of the last few months
questions about healthcare,
toward Gardner was evident at
the environment and North
the first of these town halls held
Korea, equally controversial
in Colorado Springs. However,
topics for the U.S. Senator.
over the weekend Gardner gained
Amy Gray, the local team
points with constituents when
leader for climate organization 350
he condemned the violence in
Colorado, addressed Gardner with
Charlottesville and pressured
her two small children playing at
President Donald Trump over
her feet. Gray’s main concern for
Twitter to call evil by its name.
the town hall was the potential
“These were white
development of a coal mine in
supremacists and this was
Gunnison National Park. She
domestic terrorism,” he said.
expressed her frustration with
Gardner took the opportunity
Gardner’s lack of responsiveness
to start things on the right
to calls, emails and meeting
foot and echo his disdain for
requests, a sentiment that was
white nationalist groups.
reflected in many of the questions.
“I think it’s about time asses
“I came here today because I
with Nazi flags go back into their
had to be able to ask him to his
hole,” Gardner said during the
face ‘what will you do to protect
meeting. “It was unacceptable
our environment?’ All of this,
that we had people saying anti-
the health care, the tax cuts,
semitic slogans. They are not a
will matter not if we don’t have
part of this country and they will
clean air and water,” Gray said.
never be a part of this country.” Sharon Eakins, an attendee,
Haven Colenan, an 11-year-old self-proclaimed environmental
said that she was proud of Gardner
activist, addressed Gardner
for calling out President Trump
through teary eyes. She thanked
and the violence over the weekend.
the Senator for standing up
“I came here specifically to thank you today for finally
against hate and terrorism. “You need to be strong just
standing up to Donald Trump. I
like that on the climate crisis, too.
was so proud. I saw you and I saw
You campaigned on clean energy
a different Cory Gardner,” she said
and protecting future generations,
to Gardner during the meeting.
start doing it,” she said to Gardner.
Photos by Madison Lauterbach | mlauter1@msudenver.edu
Three hundred people filled the auditorium at Pikes Peak Community College for one of Sen. Cory Gardner’s three town halls on Aug. 15, 2017.
INSIDE NEWS
| pg. 2
FEATURES
| pg. 6
White supremacist flyers on campus
Feline Festival showcases adoptable cats
OPINION
SPORTS
| pg. 4
Tensions and conflict at home and abroad
| pg. 8
Soccer prepares kick off fall campaign
Attendees were given green and red pieces of paper to show their agreement or disagreement with Sen. Gardner or other speaker’s statements.