To the Editor:
Of late, I’ve noticed that Congressman Daniel Webster has either written a column in Villages-News.com or he was covered as he spoke to local groups. In today’s issue an article entitled “Congressman tells Air Force vets that if tested America ‘to respond in fury.'” That’s certainly Trumpian to speak to Trumpsters who live in The Villages.
I also noted that his audience of the Air Force Vets expressed, as quoted from the article, “Prior to the meeting’s start, a few members voiced their concerns that they’d hope would be addressed by the Congressman or at least mentioned in his speech.”
On May 17, I hand carried the below letter to his local office and it his staff person signed my copy of the letter as having received it. As you will note from the letter to which I never received a response from him, it apparently is his modus operandi not to answer questions.
May 16, 2017
Congressman Daniel Webster
8015 East County Road 466, Suite B
The Villages, Florida 32162
Congressman Webster,
It was a pleasure meeting you in person yesterday at the Law Enforcement Memorial Day service. As a retired law enforcement officer I was appreciative of your support by your presence and the words you spoke.
When serving as police chief for the City of Lewiston, Maine, I spent two weeks at the trial of the killer of one of our officers with the officer’s spouse. During the night of the jury finding, she and I alone were pacing the darkened street outside the courthouse when the verdict was delivered at 2:45 A.M. The officer was 24 years old with two toddler children. One cannot appreciate the hurt that family members and fellow officers feel after such a needless killing. Guns are too readily available, but that is a subject for another day.
The concern I expressed to you when we conversed after the memorial service was my question “why won’t you hold town hall meetings in your district?” I tried to impress upon you the importance of dialogue by immediately responding to questions or statements. You told me that you prefer “listening sessions” in that they don’t last as long, you listen and at the end you answer all the questions and in about an hour you are on your way.
Last evening, the same day I talked with you, a person who had attend your recent listening session told me that you listened to constituents at this your listening session and once constituents had completed their questions and comments, you simply, but hurriedly, got up and left without response their questions and comments. I hold this person in high regard. Congressman, and if this is factual and I have no reason to doubt the person who told me, you lied to me and this makes you a liar. If that is the case and more people who were there tell me what actually happened, how is that representing your constituents in serving all that you represent in congress. We must have full faith and confidence in our United States Congress and that is seriously being questioned right now with extremely low approval numbers from citizens in how they view you members of congress.
I look forward to your response!
Sincerely,
Laurent F. Gilbert, Sr.
With no response from Webster as I requested, his non-response can only lead me to conclude that he lied to me. If a person lies to you, one conclusion is that the person is a liar. When a Congressman lacks the intestinal fortitude to answer questions of constituents, another conclusion is that he is a “gutless wonder.” This folks is our representation in Congress, it may be yours but certainly not mine!
Laurent (Larry) Gilbert Sr.
Village of LaBelle
