Protesters picket Walden’s Bend office, want town hall

A large group of protesters gathered outside of Rep. Greg Walden’s office in downtown Bend on Tuesday. Their message to Walden: They want a town hall in Bend to address the issues.

“We want to be heard. We want to discuss our issues directly with Mr. Walden. He’s hiding from us. He won’t come to Bend. He won’t come to Medford,” protester Brenda Rode said.

Rode and many others want to know where Walden stands on such issues as the Affordable Care Act, President Trump’s executive orders and public lands.

At the intersection of Bond Street and Greenwood Avenue, cars honked in support of the protesters as people held up signs, most of which asked: “Where’s Walden?’

The group than marched upstairs to Walden’s office, trying to get some answers from his aides.The office staff took down names and phone numbers, but some protesters told NewsChannel 21 that wasn’t enough.

Walden spokesman Andrew Malcolm said the congressman was in Washington D.C. working on issues important to Oregonians.

Malcolm said Walden regularly holds town halls and other meetings in Central Oregon, with at least one town hall in every county each year across the sprawling Second District. Last week, he held a meeting on tribal health with the Warm Springs tribes.

Malcolm also said via email that Walden’s office regularly holds telephone town halls, and responds to thousands of emails, phone calls, letters and Facebook messages.