Republican Senator Rob Portman stopped through Cleveland Friday, to discuss tax reform with a group of business leaders. That event, like others he has had this week, was closed. He demurred when asked whether he planned a public forum with constituents before heading back to Washington next week.
"I do tele-town hall meetings once a month where we’ll have thousands of people on the call. And I get a lot of different questions," he said. "That’s a good way for me to communicate with a lot of different people. We do have differences of opinion in this state, let’s face it.”
Around the country, town hall meetings with members of Congress have become raucous events, especially when the topic is a hot-button issue like the fate of the Affordable Care Act. The political activist group “Indivisible” says Portman is ducking folks who oppose his support of President Donald Trump’s policies and appointees.
While in Northeast Ohio, Portman also met with factory workers. It was one of several meetings he's had during the Congressional recess this week. That meeting - like the others - was also closed.