In a disturbing turn of events, our congressional representative, in a clandestine move devoid of honest public discourse, voted to terminate healthcare for over 40% of people in his district. This action will also result in a reduction in food aid for an additional 35,000 families, including many of us. These decisions will have a profound impact on our community, threatening the well-being of our neighbors and loved ones. The goal? To finance a $4 trillion tax break for billionaires and big corporations.
He has also habitually supported government policies that weaken our democratic institutions, slow our economy, roll back protections for public health and the environment, and put rural healthcare access and Social Security benefits at risk for millions of Americans. He claims that Trump is “doing exactly what he said he would do when he ran for the job,” even though these actions are tearing the fabric of our country apart.
Examples:
- He has backed the suspension of due process for immigrants and tacitly endorsed the administration’s practice of deporting people to countries in Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa — nations where they are not citizens.
- He challenged the 2020 election results by voting against certifying Pennsylvania’s electoral votes, thus undermining the integrity, legitimacy, and fairness of the election process.
- He voted for and continues to support Mike Johnson, a Trump sycophant and the most extreme House Speaker in history, who won his party’s vote by passing every Republican litmus test on same-sex marriage, abortion access, the 2020 election results, and more. This support further aligns him with the extreme right and undermines his ability to represent all constituents.
- He cosponsored the Life at Conception Act, which sought to define life as beginning at the moment of fertilization. The bill failed to pass, but that hasn’t stopped him from voting in alignment with its goals, including supporting bills that protect the unborn and voting against those that expand abortion access.
- In the rare town halls he has held, he has dismissed his constituents’ opinions and concerns, used mocking and condescending language, and displayed a general lack of respect for his critics — whom he refers to as “pawns, moochers, and paid protesters.”
Given his reluctance to face the public, the Jefferson County Democrats have crafted an Open Letter to Cliff Bentz. It’s not just a demand for answers — it is a testament to our collective voice and a crucial step in holding our representative accountable.
We urge you to add your name to the list of signatories. Together, we can express our views and show Congressman Bentz that ‘We the People’ stand united and demand accountability.