Tennessee Republican Congressman Phil Roe reportedly said people are calling his office in record numbers to discuss the federal government shutdown and the proposed wall along the U.S. and Mexican border President Donald Trump wants.
As the Little Rock-based KARK TV station reported this week, Trump urged Americans to contact their representatives in Washington, D.C. and tell them they support his fight for a border wall.
The station contacted congressmen and U.S. senators from Arkansas and Tennessee to gauge whether Trump’s call to action was having an effect.
Roe, the station went on to say, supports the proposed wall, especially after “he saw the need firsthand during a trip to the border last summer.”
“We have drug introduction. We have sexual trafficking. We have human trafficking,” KARK quoted Roe as saying.
Arkansas Republican U.S. Senator Tom Cotton said his office was “jam-packed” with calls also, but that most of the people calling wanted to talk about the government shutdown.
The station also interviewed U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis. Cohen told the station very few people were calling his office and that those who did complained about the government shutdown.
Last week Vice President Mike Pence called into the Rush Limbaugh Show to ask listeners to give moral support to their representatives.
“President Trump and I and our entire team is determined to stand firm until the Democrats in Congress come to the table and work with us to secure the border, build a wall, end this humanitarian crisis, and do what’s right for the American people,” Pence told Limbaugh.
Pence also said he and Trump believe they have “broad-based support across the country” from Republicans, independents, and even many Democrats who want more border security.
“If there’s ever a day that they need to call their congressman, call their senators, today’s the day. Tell them you stand with the president,” Pence said on Limbaugh’s show.
“Call their Democrat elected officials and tell ’em that they need to come to the table, they need to roll their sleeves up, and they need to go work to secure our border. Democrats are refusing to even negotiate until the president reopens the government. That’s unacceptable.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Steve Cohen” by Steve Cohen.
Photo “Phil Roe” by Phil Roe.
