McClintock meets with critics, supporters at Sonora town hall meeting

Rep. Tom McClintock jousted with critics and heard praise from supporters at a Wednesday night town hall meeting on health care, immigration and other issues.

The Republican held another in a series of gatherings across a district that sprawls from Alpine to Fresno counties. Nearly 1,000 people came to the Sonora High School auditorium – so many that the event had two seatings over three hours.

“I think you use a common-sense approach to everything you do,” said Sonora contractor Matt McClintock, no relation to the lawmaker.

Others blasted him for his support of President Donald Trump and for Republican efforts to restrict immigration, replace the Affordable Care Act and boost fossil fuel use.

Anti-Trump audience members often jeered at McClintock’s statements, but the crowd remained peaceful overall as about two dozen law-enforcement officers stood by. The event was not as tense as a Feb. 4 town hall in Roseville, which the congressman later complained was disrupted by “anarchists.”

Sonora resident Rod Hollingsworth, a retired school administrator, objected to that claim Wednesday.

“Anarchists are not part of the left, and hopefully, neo-Nazis and white supremacists are not part of the Republican Party,” he said.

Carol Malispina of Sonora, a former social worker and nun, said repealing the ACA would hurt rural hospitals and low-income people.

“Social Security is not an entitlement,” she added, referring to GOP attempts to rework the retirement system. “We pay for Social Security. I had big chunks of money taken out of my payroll checks.”

McClintock said the Republican health care reform would preserve coverage for people with pre-existing conditions while providing tax credits to help with the costs.

“There is no way to spin Obamacare,” he said. “Some have had a very good experience. Most have not.”

McClintock repeated his claim from other town halls that the climate has warmed and cooled over many millennia and fossil fuel emissions are not to blame. Cutting back on them would devastate the economy, he said.

The incumbent also urged an increase in logging to reduce wildfire fuels, and in reservoir storage to capture heavy river flows like this winter’s.

McClintock said this is “a nation of immigrants,” and he has no problem with “someone coming to this country because of a sincere desire to become an American.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 9:24 PM with the headline "McClintock meets with critics, supporters at Sonora town hall meeting."