As U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer spoke to business leaders at a private event in Lincoln, about 300 demonstrators gathered outside to protest a lack of public meetings on the Congresswoman’s calendar.
Fischer was scheduled to attend the Lincoln Independent Business Association luncheon Tuesday at the Grand Manse. Event attendees say Fischer touched on a variety of topics, including repairing roads and transportation infrastructure, school choice, international trade agreements and a possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act within the coming months.
Members of the press were not allowed inside, despite the Association’s previous policy to allow media at events.
“Due to the unusual circumstances where there was heightened security concerns I had to make the unfortunate decision to restrict our luncheon to LIBA members,” LIBA President Coby Mach wrote on Facebook after the meeting. “Regrettably this included members of the media. We had heard that protesters were going to try and infiltrate our meeting by several different means perhaps even posing as media or business owners. Others wondered if they could get into the underground parking in an attempt to catch Senator Deb Fischer there.”
Toward the end of Fischer’s speech, a group of protesters entered the Grand Manse and chanted outside the door of the event. Lincoln police say because the building is both public and private, officers asked the protesters to leave after a business inside complained.
Protesters, like Ariel Nelson, say they want more access to the Senator.
"It’s like she's hiding from us,” Nelson said. “It’s like she doesn't want to admit there a problem here and so this is what we have to do to find her."
Senator Fischer’s office sent Action 3 News the following statement:
Senator Fischer always welcomes respectful conversations with Nebraskans. She intends to continue her longstanding tradition of Listening Sessions across the state like she has always done. As you recall, she held 26 of these sessions last year.
This week, she is meeting with constituents who have been waiting to meet with her for some time. Our office receives hundreds of invitations every year and Senator Fischer tries to respond to as many as possible.
