Ben Quayle goes pay-per-view with his district

by David Safier

Ben Quayle won't be talking to the constituents he represents in the U.S. House — not for free, anyway. If you want to meet with him, you have to pay. According to Politico, Quayle is one of many Republican lawmakers (including Paul Ryan) "whose August recess town hall-style meetings are strictly pay-per-view."

Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) is scheduled to appear Aug. 23 at a luncheon gathering of the Arizona Republican Lawyers Association. For $35, attendees can question Quayle and enjoy a catered lunch at the Phoenix office of the Snell & Wilmer law firm.

The AZ Dems are all over it in a press release.

Quayle turns to pay-per-view representation

PHOENIX — It's August, when members of Congress go home and host town halls to hear out their constituents — or in Rep. Ben Quayle's case, to shake down those constituents.

A story in today's POLITICO ("Talk to Paul Ryan? It'll cost you") noted House Budget Committee chairman Ryan "isn’t holding any face-to-face open-to-the-public town hall meetings during the recess, but like several of his colleagues he will speak only for residents willing to open their wallets."

Like Ryan, Quayle has gone pay-per-view.

POLITICO noted that Quayle "is scheduled to appear Aug. 23 at a luncheon gathering of the Arizona Republican Lawyers Association. For $35, attendees can question Quayle and enjoy a catered lunch…"  And a Quayle spokesman confirmed that the congressman is not planning any open town halls.

Today, Quayle's campaign also sent out an invitation to an Aug. 25 "Eggs and Issues" event in Scottsdale, billed as "the first in a series of congressional issues breakfasts."  Price tag: $50 per person.

"When Quayle voted for Ryan's plan to dismantle Medicare, he got an earful from his constituents back in May," said Luis Heredia, Arizona Democratic Party executive director. "So now that he's decided to walk away from town halls, it's no shock that he wants a friendlier audience — preferably one that will shell out campaign contributions.

"Quayle's decision makes sense if you recall how flat-footed he was at the Anthem town hall in May, when he learned of the existence of oil subsidies for the first time from his constituents," Heredia said. "Maybe he thinks if only those who can afford to pay will show up, he won't get asked why he voted to support the tea party agenda rather than our nation's economy."