Tom Tiffany has time for the rich and powerful. Not so much his constituents.

It’s a nice midday Wednesday in Wausau and some constituents of Tom Tiffany are spending their lunch hour letting the congressman know they’d like a little of his time. This isn’t the first time either. After what has been, to say the least, a frantic three months in Washington there are many that would like to know what their congressman thinks and what he is doing. Just like March 20th when the first “Where’s Tom Tiffany?” rally occurred outside the congressman’s Wausau office, Mr. Tiffany has said he is unavailable. Tomorrow, April 24th, there is a 7th Congressional District “People’s Town Hall” that has invited their congressman to appear and speak about the many issues that are causing stress and confusion in the electorate. Tom Tiffany again is “unavailable”.

Sounds like Congressman Tiffany must be in Washington working on some important issues or travelling the district far from Wausau right? Nope. Tom Tiffany is in Wausau today. He is available to discuss some issues with some folks in Wausau. Some “special” folks. For a “Crafted Conversation.”

Later today (Wednesday), Congressman Tiffany is appearing at the Wausau Chamber of Commerce office for that “Crafted Conversation” with “business and community leaders who want to stay informed and engaged on the federal policies and decisions that directly affect our region.” That sounds like what the people behind and showing up at the Congressman’s office today and at the “People’s Town Hall” tomorrow would like to do. Have a conversation about the policies and decisions that directly affect our region. Sounds like something an elected official should be doing right? Since Tiffany isn’t going to show up to talk to those constituents today or tomorrow maybe they can stop by the Chamber office for a question or two? Nope. As the annoucement of Tiffany’s appearance at the Chamber office says: “This is not a public forum.” The bold was not added by me. It’s in the release. They mean it!

It’s not surprising that Congressman Tiffany would rather spend some time with the so-called “business and community leaders” who more likely want nothing more than Tiffany’s bell weathers of lower taxes and lower regulations. With the chaos that Tiffany’s political daddy Donald Trump has brought to even the wealthy over the past three months maybe there will be a tough question or two….who knows? However, part of the job of an elected official isn’t to just talk to those who agree with him. Mr. Tiffany needs to remember that and adjust accordingly.