What is Congressman Tom McClintock afraid of? Hard questions, apparently | Opinion

You’ve got to give Rep. Tom McClintock this much: He’s consistent.

Consistently evasive, that is.

The Modesto Bee harbored some hope that the Republican congressman from Elk Grove would discuss with the Editorial Board what he’s been up to in the 100 days since he began representing two thirds of Stanislaus County, including most of Modesto and Turlock. One might think a longtime politician with newly acquired territory — the new heart of his constituency — would be eager to make a good impression, to communicate with his people, to be accountable.

But McClintock couldn’t be bothered to respond.

It’s true that his relationship with The Sacramento Bee — The Modesto Bee’s sister McClatchy newspaper, which serves the area McClintock mostly represented before boundaries were redrawn last year — has been rocky. He ducked Sacramento’s questions for years.

When redistricting last year created a bright red Fifth Congressional District stretching from El Dorado County on the north through conservative foothills down to Fresno County, McClintock must have known he’d struck the Mother Lode. He knew he barely needed to lift a finger campaigning in such right-leaning country.

McClintock ignored invitations from The Modesto Bee — by far the largest newspaper in his new district — to debate his opponents. And he won more than 61% of the vote.

Ducking hard questions

McClintock shows up when he knows he’ll be lobbed only softball questions from a friendly audience, as will surely happen when he speaks April 21 at the Republican Party of Stanislaus County’s Lincoln Day Dinner. He excels at delivering hard-right rhetoric on the federal budget and border policies.

The congressman has no problem answering questions of Newsmax and Fox News, and he is a darling of Breitbart and Forbes. Conservative British and Australian news outlets love him, too.

It’s easy to stay in one’s comfort zone, pretending to be accountable when surrounded by like-minded people. Bowing to applause takes no courage.

Answering hard questions is another story.

The Bee would want to know why McClintock initially failed to support COVID-19 stimulus relief, then reversed course and voted for another package two weeks later.

The Bee would want to learn why McClintock voted against a House proposal to create a commission on reparations, calling it “evil” to even study the legacy of slavery and possible ways to address it.

Where does McClintock stand on Trump?

All people in his district, including supporters of former President Donald Trump, ought to hear more about why McClintock last week said Trump’s criminal indictment “strikes at the heart of our justice system.” If he’s proud of his message, McClintock should take advantage of a newspaper’s reach to get it out.

McClintock should clarify what he told the San Joaquin Valley Sun a couple of weeks ago about “leaning toward DeSantis. He offers all of Donald Trump’s policies without the drama.”

The congressman should expound on why he is among 16 House Republicans who have never — even when Trump was president — voted to raise the debt ceiling.

McClintock should articulate his reasons for stubbornly refusing to seek earmarks, as he calls them, to help the people of his district.

While other House Republicans seek and secure tens of millions of dollars in what they term community funding projects — expanding internet access, strengthening radio signals in remote areas, improving old sewer systems, hiring more cops, shoring up bridges, widening highways, sprucing up parks and addressing homelessness — McClintock has no shame in delivering not one cent to those who put him in office. Instead of seeking funds to fight wildfires imperiling forests where many of his voters live, McClintock sits on his hands.

McClintock should disclose why his district office is in El Dorado County, home to 15% of his constituency, instead of in Stanislaus County, where 38% of his voters live — the most by far of any of the eight counties he supposedly represents.

If he had found the courage to discuss issues, McClintock might have won The Bee’s praise for introducing in February House Resolution 100, legislation drawing bipartisan support for a secular, Democratic and non-nuclear Iran.

He might have proudly explained why he “strongly disagree(d)“ with firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene when she called for “a national divorce” separating red and blue states.

But we’ll never know, because if there’s one thing McClintock is consistent about, it’s avoiding questions.

This story was originally published April 7, 2023 at 7:00 AM.