Oakley, Kan. (KSNW) – Questions and answers, screams, applause, boos and Marshall left the event early on Saturday morning at a town hall meeting hosted by Sen. Roger Marshall (R -Kan.) in rural northwest Kansas.
The meeting at Logan County Hospital in Oakley began at 9am and lasted about 40 minutes. A video shared with KSN by one of the people at the event showed that the event was almost controversial from the start. Marshall's team later told KSN that the event was thwarted by Democratic operatives.
A large group of people were crowded into the room, with several standing around a limited chair. Some were wearing shirts and carried signs that were critical of Marshall, the Trump administration, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Others wore hats and shirts representing military service. Within the first five minutes of the event, Marshall referenced the crowd.
“A lot of people have traveled a long way to be here. This is really an Oakley town hall. I'm trying to focus on their questions,” Marshall said.
He got mixed reactions. Some say they are grateful to you, others say he represents the entire state.
“I'm going to say this once. If you're cutting me off, if you're rude, if you're there, I'll leave. The Oakley people don't deserve this,” Marshall said. “If you keep interrupting me, we won't do this. If you have questions, you can write them down and submit them. My staff will get all of them.”
Marshall said he wanted to take on the biggest issue of the last 24 hours and refer to what he called “the explosion of yesterday.” Heated replacement in an oval office Between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Voldymi Zelensky.
“I have a deep sense of compassion and sympathy from the people of Ukrainians,” Marshall said. He called Ukraine financially a “bottomless hole” and “threw good money after bad money.” He defended the president's plan, saying, “I think my goal, President Trump's goal is to have peace in this situation and avoid World War II.”
He answered several questions written on note cards from the crowd. On several occasions, people have called for questions about the confirmation of Elon Musk, Doge Cutt and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Some questions answered: “Will you be quiet?” Some cheered others.
Marshall spoke about agriculture, defending Trump's support for Kansas farmers and ranchers, saying he prioritizes new handovers. Farm legislation. He spoke about the USAID cut and changed to the Food for Peace Program. This is a good program and says it needs to be managed by the USDA. He referenced Cut with NOAAIncludes National Weather Service Meteorologist“There is an opportunity to make weather services more efficient.” Marshall said he is worried about the rate of suicide among veterans and farmers.
About 30 minutes later, some of the crowds raised more criticism and questions, Marshall replied at one point, “Do you want to have your own city hall?” He then calls it “one of the most rude audience I've ever had.”
When a woman asks Marshall for more questions, the man can be heard saying, “You're not from West Kansas.”
“Ah, I. Ah, sir, I,” she replies.
The crowd settled when the man was identifiedHigh Plains Public Radio As Local Chuck Nunstood up and spoke directly to the senator.
“Thank you for coming here, I want to take a lot of courage,” said Nun, who identified himself as a dying breed that is a conservative Democrat. He went on to say he appreciated the government's efforts to reduce fraud and waste, and he fully supports it. “But I think the way we are going through it is very wrong because there are unintended consequences.”
“I support veterans. As long as you cut down on what you're doing now, what the government is doing now, what those jobs are doing, the majority of those people — and I know you care about veterans — and that's a damn shame. That's a terrible shame.”
Another guy can say, “I'm not a Democrat, but I'm worried about veterans.”
“Well, I gave it to my elders one by one, and I appreciate his comments,” Marshall replied. “I think it's great. I'm not going to go. We don't have time for everyone to stand up. Today I got two more commitments.
Marshall then left the room while people were screaming and booing, some calling him a coward.
KSN contacted Marshall's press team to request an interview after the town hall and asked some questions via email. We did not receive any responses to specific questions, but instead received a statement attributed to Marshall's Chief of Staff, Brent Robertson.
“A Democrat operative who failed to map Oakley, Kansas earlier today disrupted the local town hall. Even so, Senator Marshall stayed with all the questions asked for forty-five minutes,” Robertson said. Local Oakley residents had no idea who these people were. Senator Marshall should be praised for staying as long as he is doing. ”
When KSN reached out to ask for clarification of the question, they received the same statement as updating one line if Marshall had refused to interview, and if staff were able to clarify what the Kansans are not considered “real.”
