Watch CNN's Wolf Blitzer Correct Rep. Marsha Blackburn's Lie That Town Hall Participants Were Not Her Constituents

Blitzer: “If People Had IDs Showing They Lived In Your District, That's Pretty Straightforward” 

Video file

WOLF BLITZER (HOST): We did get this tweet from Trip Gabriel, he's a reporter for The New York Times. He was there at the event and he tweeted this. He said, “everyone I spoke to in this town hall identified themselves as TN 7th, Tennessee- seven voter, town restricted RSVPs to locals and checked IDs.” Is that true that RSVPs were only going to people from your district and they checked their IDs before they were allowed inside? 

REP. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN): You know, Wolf, there were some people who stood up to speak and ask a question and they identified themselves as living outside of the district. So, I don't know who the reporter talked to. I do know that the first people that RSVP'd, about the first hundred people that RSVP'd, they had not put up the information on the city's little website announcement that you needed to be a Fairview resident. But, you know, the point is this. There were people that were there, whether or not they were in my district, they came to express their opinions. Most of them were angry. I stood there and took their questions and gave them the best answers that I possibly could. Others that came that couldn't get in and wanted to visit with me, we had invited them to call the office or to sign a list, and then come on by. And then after the event was over, I went outside to the alternative town hall, and the gentleman that had -- was organizing that, I actually spoke to those that were outside. And, there again, invited them into the process. All opinions matter. As we look at some very serious issues that are necessary for getting this nation back on track, things like reforming -- 

BLITZER: Alright, hold on a second. Hold on one second, congresswoman, because there is some video that is now out there on social media. I'm going to play it for you and then we'll continue this. Watch this. 

[...]

Almost everyone apparently in that video raised their hand if they live in your district, Tennessee congressional district seven. And, so, let me get back to the original question. How do you know only a third of the people that were inside actually were from your district? 

BLACKBURN: We do know that people were overheard in the line saying, “oh, you know, say that you live in Williamson County.” But there again, Wolf, my goodness, you know, they were people that came. They came in. I took their questions. I gave them answers. They are concerned. All voices ought to be heard as we -- 

BLITZER: Did they check IDs when people came in to see if their addresses were in your district? 

BLACKBURN: They did and they also -- they also looked at the parking lot. There were a lot of out of state tags. They did check IDs when people came in the door. The information we were given was that about a third of the people that showed up were from the district and the rest were not. But there again, you know, you can make a big issue of exactly what number was in the district or outside of the district. There were people that were angry and they had their concerns. I gave them the opportunity to express their concerns. And then even went outside and addressed the alternative town hall. 

BLITZER: But if people had IDs showing they lived in your district, that's pretty straightforward. 

Previously:

Fox News Dismisses Huge Town Hall Participation As Paid Liberal Organizing

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