Pearce addresses constituent’s concerns at meeting

Alamogordo Daily News (NM)

March 05--RUIDOSO -- Congressman Steve Pearce addressed questions about women's health, education, Obamacare, Russian hacking of the election, New Mexico's public lands issues and President Donald Trump's tax returns at Pearce's Ruidoso town hall meeting Saturday morning.

Pearce, R-NM, drew criticism and protests last month from his constituents at his Las Cruces offices for failing to come home to his district during the congressional break.

He said he hosted the town hall meeting in Ruidoso because he had a speech to give in Ruidoso.

"I've got the speech in a couple of minutes but that's the reason we were here," Pearce said. "I was oversees with pre-trip (during the congressional break). We were working on our terrorism and illicit finance. We couldn't bail out on it because I am the committee chair on it (The Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance). It was pre-set."

He said he believed the town hall went well.

"It was stunningly good," Pearce said. "I love it."

Pearce said he believes an investigation is underway into the Russian government hacking of the November 2016 election.

"The early indications are that there's something here in the election," Pearce said. "I do not believe the Russians controlled the outcome of the election. When later issues came up, I am the first one to call on the entire transcript with Michael Flynn and any of the other Russians be released to see if it was actually in violation because I think the reason he stepped down was because of Mike Pence and not because of a transcript. Let's make it public."

He said he believes public lands should be allowed for multiple uses and access.

"Public lands not set aside for special use should be allowed multiple access and uses," Pearce said. "It's one of the things that starves our counties for revenue. For instances Otero County conducted a study if lands were able to be leased out, it would be about an additional $2 million in revenue to the county. Those things I absolutely support when you can get better access and use."

Pearce drew the biggest response of boos from the mixed crowd of Las Cruces, Ruidoso, Roswell and Alamogordo residents when a Ruidoso man asked if Pearce would sign and support Rep. Bill Pascrell's letter to have President Trump release his tax returns.

"I probably will not sign that letter," Pearce said. "In my opinion, if the president wants to release his taxes or if there's a rule then I vote for you all. I wouldn't sign it."

He said he doesn't believe public lands are going to go through a private sale or be sold off.

"I do not think that's going to occur," Pearce said. "I do think we should have access to lands for multiple users not just for a single class of users."

He said he wants to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare.

"I absolutely believe we have to appeal it and replace it with something that's more viable," Pearce said. "I tried to make clear that we don't have much option. It's in deep decay and I think totally in collapse. We can't act like nothing's going on. That's the whole question, what are we going to replace it with? That's the deep tension going on right now with the Democrats and Republicans."

Otero County Indivisible founder Carrie Ludington said she was not happy with Pearce's answer about women's health.

"He said that he would take the money from Planned Parenthood and put it into other clinics," Ludington said. "I asked him a couple of times if it was women's clinics. He never confirmed. So he's going to take money from a women's clinic and just put it into other clinics but not necessarily for women's services."

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