Protests and raucous crowds surround Lawler’s 'Town Hall' in Somers

Somers Supervisor Rob Scorrano led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and Assemblyman Matt Slater served as moderator.

 

Among those taking part in the roadside protest were two Democrats hoping to challenge Lawler in 2026: Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator, and Mike Sacks, a former journalist. (Lawler is also considering running for governor.)

 

According to Christine Robbins of the Somers Democratic Club, the anti-Lawler rally was attended by about 100 and was well-received by motorists driving by.

 

“People were honking, giving us the thumbs-up and support,” she said.

 

According to the group Fight Lawler, protesters were initially told they would be able to “exercise their First Amendment right to assemble peacefully on campus before the event."

 

In a press release, it accused the Republican congressman of attempting to “muzzle the mounting outrage of voters” by holding the event at a private school, instead of on public property.

 

Referring to Lawler, Robbins said Monday that “He’s trying to come off as a moderate, but when it comes down to voting or expressing that when he’s in Washington, he doesn’t.”

 

“How do you say you’re fighting for us, when you actually don’t,” she added.

 

 

Inside the school, security was tight with state troopers and the congressman’s security and staffers keeping an eye on the crowd. Local police directed traffic outside. Participants had to have reservations and prove that they lived in the district. The press was allowed to record and take photos but forbidden from roaming the aisles.

 

While not as reportedly chaotic on Sunday, May 4, as the “town hall” Lawler just held in Rockland County, the event experienced plenty of groaning, chanting, and jeering from certain sections in the packed auditorium.

 

There was also a lot of cheering and applause from supporters as well as the congressman attempted to – despite all the hubbub – answer questions on a broad range of topics ranging from immigration policies and tariffs to the crisis in Ukraine and the cutting of funds to programs.

 

(He has two more “town halls” scheduled: one in Putnam County and the other Dutchess County.)

 

The rules for participation were strictly enforced at the highly choreographed event attended by more than 600 constituents. Folks with questions were selected randomly via raffle tickets handed out at check-in. They were allowed 30 seconds each to ask them.

 

Those deemed to be disruptive were given several warnings before being asked to leave or forcibly removed.

 

One of the latter was Emily Feiner, a social worker from Nyack, who told Halston Media that she feels she was deliberately “targeted” for her past political activism.

 

Feiner said she asked Lawler what his “red line” was, in other words, what would it take – in terms of “unconstitutional actions” on the part of the Trump administration for him to “finally exercise his oversight role and call for an end.”

 

She said that when Lawler went “off topic” and started talking about “appropriations” instead, she got frustrated and called out: “Answer my question! Answer my question!”

 

Several troopers approached and asked Feiner to leave. When she refused, they picked her up and carried her out as she went limp and flashed a peace sign.

 

Cries from the crowd of “Let her stay!” were countered with other attendees’ chants of “Beat ‘em up” and “Jail her.”

“It was quite something. I’ve been in a lot of weird situations, but ….” Feiner mused later, insisting that her actions were “no different than 80 percent” of others there.

 

She was placed on the floor outside and advised that she was “trespassing” and needed to leave post haste.

 

Not wanting to be arrested, Feiner did.

 

“This is chilling if this is the way Michael Lawler is going to deal with dissent. It’s right out of the fascist playbook,” she said.

 

A spokesman for the congressman issued the following statement on Monday, May 5:

 

“The attendee was asked to leave after repeatedly engaging in abusive and combative behavior with staff and disrupting nearby attendees. She was escorted from the auditorium when she continually refused to comply with New York state troopers.”

 

Feiner denied she was being disruptive.

 

“I’m vocal, not combative,” she said, adding that she and others have a right to exercise their First Amendment rights.

 

Referring to Lawler, Feiner opined: “It’s like he’s poking us in the chest over and over again and then saying ‘How dare you get upset’.”

 

Coming to Lawler’s defense, chair of the Somers Republican Town Committee T.J. McCormack issued the following statement about the “town hall.”

 

"Tonight was a win for Congressman Mike Lawler. He showed up and for two hours patiently navigated disrespectful jeers, shouts and screams in order to thoroughly and honestly respond to questions from rude people who clearly had no interest in the answers. Mike was calm, collected and respectful. His staff were kind, and professional in facing the antics of hundreds of agitators who showed up to a high school auditorium and behaved like petulant 3rd graders. No offense to petulant 3rd graders.”

 

Asked how he thought things went overall, Scorrano responded: “I think it was a great night. People who came in were passionate. They asked a lot of questions. They covered all the big topics. Considering the circumstances I think Mike did a great job answering the questions.”

 

However, he would have liked it better if some folks hadn’t “talked over” the speaker so much.

 

“That’s why America is so great, that people have the opportunity to ask the questions and to hear the answers from the elected official,” Scorrano said.

 

As for Feiner’s ouster, Scorrano didn’t have much to say other than he was unaware of the things that led up to it.

 

“It’s not my call, the way it was handled,” he said later.

 

Mark Lieberman of the Yorktown Democratic Committee was another participant who got into hot water at the event.

 

Already warned not to film as Feiner was being bounced, he stood up and yelled about deporting children with cancer.

 

A security guard escorted Lieberman to the rear of the auditorium but did not make him leave.

 

He issued this statement later:

 

“Mike Lawler has voted to hurt our friends and neighbors instead of caring for the people. He’s voting to take away Medicaid insurance. He voting to take food out of the mouths of children and the disabled. And he’s voting to take away our voting rights. It’s impossible to understand this cruelty from a representative of the people.”

 

Lieberman didn’t regret the experience.

 

“We spoke up. We say what we think is important to say. It’s just that I don’t think he cares,” he said.

 

Feiner also had no regrets about attending the event.

 

“As an active member of this community, I want to see an end to the threats to our democracy. He (Lawler) needs to know where his constituents stand,” she said.