GREEN RIVER –– A few Sweetwater County commissioners expressed disappointment with how Rep. Harriet Hageman was treated during her town hall meeting in Rock Springs Saturday afternoon.
Hageman’s town hall in Rock Springs featured contentious interactions between some of the attendees and Hageman. Residents with signs protesting acts initiated by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE made their opinions known through signs and rancorous retorts to statements made during the meeting. Hageman also had support from other attendees, making the event lively on both sides of the political spectrum.
“I think it’s both sad and unfortunate that a small but very loud minority chose to try to deride her attempts at meaningful engagement,” Richards said. “I commend her on her professionalism in how she handled the protesters.”
Commissioner Island Richards was critical of media focused on the “loud minority” and alleged they ignored the fact that most people were there to have a conversation with Hageman. Richards said there are time, place and manner restrictions on the First Amendment and don’t give people an unlimited right to disrupt or interfere with proceedings. Richards said Hageman was gracious to allow the behavior to continue, even though she had the right to kick people out of the venue.
“I believe she made a conscious decision not to though,” Richards said. “She wanted everyone to see what kind of people they and their leader really were.”
Richards further criticized many within the group for their lack of “legitimate” policy stance or possessing an American flag amongst them. Richards said some stood respectfully with their signs and thanked those who engaged in what he referred to as “legitimate political dissent.”
Richards wasn’t the only commissioner to criticize the group. Commissioner Taylor Jones said he couldn’t add much to what Richards said, but thanked Hageman for coming to Sweetwater County and “putting up with less than professional and mature treatment.”
“There’s no reason to treat anybody like that, so it was very much an embarrassment for Sweetwater County, and I hope she will come back and see us again,” Jones said.
Commissioner Robb Slaughter was unable to attend the event itself, but responded to what he had seen published afterwards.
“I thought it was disgraceful to see the lack of respect shown for one of our state’s highest-ranking elected officials,” Slaughter said. “While it’s everyone’s right to disagree with policy or ideals, I find it repulsive that people refuse to acknowledge respect for one another. I would really expect more decorum here in Sweetwater County.
