Politics & Government

Congressman Van Hollen: 'All Constituents are Welcome'

Campus security and Congressman Chris Van Hollen said no one will be kept from attending this evening's "meet and greet" at Carroll Community College.

Congressman Chris Van Hollen had nothing to do with any efforts to keep constituents from his "meet and greet" scheduled at Carroll Community College Monday evening, according to his spokeswoman. 

“Congressman Van Hollen has absolutely nothing to do with any effort to block any constituents from attending and does not support such efforts," Van Hollen spokeswoman Bridgett Frey said in an email to Patch.  "All constituents are welcome at Monday's meet and greet event.” 

In a press release Saturday, Dan Bongino, Maryland's 2012 Republican nominee for the United States Senate, said that Carroll County Democrats are using intimidation to keep members of Carroll County's tea party organization We The People (WTP) away from Van Hollen's event.

Carroll County Democratic party officials deny the allegations saying a dispute between two individuals has been been painted as a party issue.

"The Democratic party welcomes everyone to the event, anything going on between individuals has nothing to do with the Democratic party," said Carroll County Democratic Central CommitteeTreasurer Corynne Courpas.

A spokeswoman for Carroll Community College said that the college will not be blocking anyone from attending this evening's event. 

"The College is not blocking anyone from attending this evening's event," said Sylvia Blair, Carroll Community College spokeswoman. "It's a public event and we're a public entity on county property. This is Congressman Van Hollen's event."

Although there will be a police presence at the event, Col. Phil Kasten of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office said that their role is to keep the peace, not to keep people away.

"The Sheriff's office will have a presence ... our role is to ensure the public's right to free speech and to keep the peace and to ensure everyone has the right to speak," Kasten told Patch. "We are not there to keep people away." 

The "meet and greet" with Rep. Van Hollen is scheduled for Monday, June 24 at 5 p.m. at Carroll Community College. 


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