PITTSBURGH — Holding “Missing” milk cartons, a couple hundred demonstrators filled Schenley Plaza in Oakland Saturday in what they called a search party for Republican Sen. Dave McCormick and Democrat Sen. John Fetterman.
They danced in blow-up chicken suits in front of a big sign reading, ‘Two chickens, Too chicken?
“They can hide but I think these are the forums we have to get them to pay attention,” said demonstrator Sam Doverspike.
The two U.S. Senators had announced a rare joint appearance for a paid book event at City Winery in Pittsburgh’s Strip District for Saturday, but on the eve of the event, it was abruptly postponed.
“They moved that event from City Winery to some undisclosed location,” said Dana Kellerman with Mondays with(OUT) McCormick. “We can’t find them to tell them we need them to stand up.”
Protesters rallied without the politicians calling on them to meet with their constituents. They claim their calls and emails asking for a town hall have gone unanswered.
“They wanted to stand there and say, you’re not talking to us. We pay you. This is not normal. This is not what senators do,” said Tracy Baton, the director of Indivisible Pittsburgh.
Several demonstrators filled the lawn, asking where McCormick and Fetterman are, calling them cowards.
“We’re not going to sit back and take it, and they have to just do their job,” said Becky Doverspike, a demonstrator.
Demonstrators said they want to know how they could be impacted by federal spending cuts and slashes to the education department.
“We are angry, and we are scared,” Kellerman said. “We have friends and neighbors who have lost their NIH funding. We have friends and neighbors who have lost their jobs.”
Baton said they hope their message to the men is heard.
“Democracy has to work,” she said. “We are the people, and you have to come and hear from the people who supported them and take care of them in Washington. Democracy is fundamentally a system that works when the people speak, and the politicians listen.”
The grassroots groups hope to hold another event downtown next Saturday.
Channel 11 reached out to the senators about why they postponed Saturday’s event and are waiting to hear back. There’s no word on if and when the book event will be rescheduled.
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