Power Grab - Jason Chaffetz Page 0,3
Nevada, California, and one group reportedly saying they had flown in from New York. Even the ones who were from Utah often reported coming from areas I did not represent. Liberal bastions outside my district, such as the ski resort community of Park City and deep Blue Salt Lake City, were reportedly well represented that night.
As planned, the officers simply welcomed people and let them know police were available if they needed anything. They were friendly, welcoming, and nonconfrontational. They educated people about what was acceptable behavior and what would not be tolerated. I believe the professional and friendly demeanor of the CHPD was disarming and was instrumental in diffusing the worst of the tension that night.
At one point, a uniformed officer reported seeing a group in black bandannas openly carrying weapons. They were not local, according to Russo. Utah is an open-carry state, so there was nothing illegal in simply possessing weapons. Police did not approach them.
All in all, the crowd outside, while disappointed not to have been admitted, was better behaved than the cohort inside the venue.
Inside, as the meeting began, things were less settled. We kicked things off in the usual manner but to a much different response. As instructed by organizers, the audience attempted to shout me down on every question. Thanks to the manual, we knew ahead of time how the organizers had instructed attendees to take control of the meeting and prevent me from answering questions, to disrupt the dialogue and incite an incident.
Everything about the opposition was calculated. They were specifically instructed to spread out among the seats to create the illusion of consensus. The Indivisible Guide reads, “Do not all sit together. Sit by yourself or in groups of 2, and spread out throughout the room. This will help reinforce the impression of broad consensus.” They even orchestrated the applause. The guide reads, “After one member of your group asks a question, everyone should applaud to show that the feeling is shared throughout the audience. Whenever someone from your group gets the mic, they should note that they’re building on the previous questions—amplifying the fact that you’re part of a broad group.”
Who were they trying to deceive with this performance? These strategies are designed to create an illusion of unanimity. Who were they trying to persuade? The audience was filled with like-minded people. The crowd would have been content to drown me out all night. I was not their target audience. So, who was?
The Indivisible Guide offers this advice: record everything. “. . . unfavorable exchanges caught on video can be devastating for MoCs [Members of Congress]. These clips can be shared through social media and picked up by local and national media.”
There is the answer. The whole thing was intended to be political theater for a national news audience. It was a show—a highly choreographed, carefully orchestrated, nationally directed pageant for coastal elites to feast upon, comfort for the broken souls of the progressive left.
Both in and outside the venue, people were supporting extreme left-wing positions that actual Utah 3rd Congressional District voters resoundingly rejected by large majorities. For example, the most vociferous, visceral reaction of the night came when I said Mike Pence was a good person. This audience exploded with catcalls and jeers.
Who were these people? Even allowing for the fact that this town hall was in a more moderate area of my district, the unified trigger response to the mention of the vice president’s name was notable. The voters of my district may have had some concerns about Donald Trump, but they love Mike Pence. This crowd was triggered by him.
According to the guide, questions were scripted, with each supporter choosing from the same list of questions provided by organizers. Attendees were encouraged to “Look friendly or neutral so that staffers will call on you.” Then, “Don’t give up the mic until you’re satisfied with the answer,” because staffers might try to “limit your ability to follow up” by taking the mic back. The guide tells them to hold firm “because no staffer in their right mind wants to look like they’re physically intimidating a constituent, so they will back off.”
The guide further instructs, “If they object, then say politely but loudly: ‘I’m not finished. The Congressman/woman is dodging my question. Why are you trying to stop me from following up?’” We had done enough research to know what this advice looked like in practice. They wouldn’t just use the microphone for follow-up questions. They would use it