PENDLETON — Around 300 people showed up to offer their thoughts to Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, during a town hall Thursday, Feb. 20, in Pendleton.

The town hall, which lasted about 90 minutes, was the third of four Bentz held in Northeastern Oregon and the only one in Umatilla County. Bentz represents Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes all of Eastern Oregon and most of the state east of the Cascades. Bentz is the only Republican member of Oregon’s congressional delegation.

He started the event by talking about taxes and the country’s debt, saying how hard it is to shrink the government and save money. Then, Bentz took audience questions, covering Elon Musk’s role in the federal government, recent federal layoffs, his stance on tax cuts to the wealthy and President Donald Trump’s actions regarding Russia and Ukraine.

Bentz said after the town hall that people are frustrated. He said he believes many attendees work for the federal government — or did, until the recent layoffs — so he isn’t sure how representative the attendees are of the broader public’s feeling about the reduction in federal workforce.

“If the jobs that are being taken, the lack of those people, are putting others at risk,” he said, “then we’re gonna reach out and try to get the Trump administration to reverse field.”

Crowd boos Bentz

The crowd gathered in the Pendleton Convention Center didn’t respond well to Bentz’s initial message during the town hall.

“I am not an apologist for the rich,” Bentz said early on.

He said even taking all the billionaires’ money to pay the country’s bills would only last us a year, asking the crowd who to tax after that money is gone.

“You,” someone called in response. The crowd laughed.

The rest of his presentation covered topics such as the committees and subcommittees Bents serves on, including the House Natural Resources Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee. Bentz also spoke about the budget and reconciliation process, securing the Southern border and extending the 2017 tax cuts.

Attendees continued to interrupt Bentz during presentation, muttering throughout his talk as well as directly calling out what Bentz was saying. Although they heckled Bentz, audience members generally cheered for one another.

Audience pushes Bentz on Medicaid, federal layoffs

Harry Geller, CEO of CHI St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton, was one of a few people asking about Medicare and Medicaid. Bentz said he understands how “terrifically important” rural hospitals are and told Geller someone from his office would reach out. He also said it would make sense to him to add a work requirement to Medicaid.

Later, a former Umatilla National Forest employee, Bailey Langley, spoke about her frustration over being laid off 52 days before the end of her probationary period as a public affairs officer.

“ We do not have as many protections as regular career employees,” she said. “The Trump administration directly targeted working class Americans with the least working protections.”

Her words echoed Bentz’s own from earlier. He had said workers at the lower level who are on probation, have “fewer reasons to turn around and sue the government,” and that full employees have a structure that protects them.

Langley said, “ This was a blanket butchering of employees who will one day carry on and sustain the agencies. Instead of contributing to our communities in a productive manner, I am now being forced to file for unemployment and other government services.”

She added the layoffs are not a one-sided issue; they will affect Republicans and Democrats across the country. She criticized a White House post on X, formerly Twitter, referring to Trump as a king.

“ Especially in our rural communities,” she said, “this is your opportunity as a public servant to stand up for American values, to not follow a king, but serve the people.”

Much of the crowd stood, clapping, whistling and cheering, for more than 20 seconds once she finished.

Bentz then asked her to email her thoughts on how to reduce spending without raising taxes and said if she believes she was wrongfully terminated, she has the right to join one of the class action lawsuits over the layoffs.

‘Demoralizing and gut wrenching’

Langley spoke with reporters after the event along with a former coworker, Anna, who worked in timber management and did not give her last name. The two said they were disappointed in Bentz’s response to Langley’s comments during the town hall.

“ He said that we have the least protections as probationary employees and due to that, we were targeted first,” Anna said. “That is extremely demoralizing and gut wrenching to hear.”

Agreeing, Langley added she felt like Bentz wasn’t listening to his constituents.

“ There were some points where he was almost arguing with constituents,” said Langley. “ He almost made it seem that I was wrong for speaking out against wrongful terminations.”

The Pendleton town hall covered many of the same issues as those in Baker City and La Grande before it. Bentz headed to Boardman in the afternoon to wrap up this round of meetings. He said it was great to have so many people turn up at each of the town halls to hear about and respond to what’s going on in Washington, D.C.

“ I think the number of people that attended is evidence of how important these issues are,” he said.