Screengrab of video of Emily Feiner being removed from Lawler Town Hall in Somers
“You Are Taking on An Old Jewish Woman -I’m Not Leaving”
Editor’s Note: This story appeared in the May 9 issue of Westchester Rising
By Dan Murphy
Congressman Mike Lawler held his second in-person Town Hall at JFK High School in Somers on May 4. This town hall was similar in its lack of respect and utter chaos that tarnished the first town hall in Rockland County.
This is no fault Lawler, who stood up for the second time and tried to answer questions and explain his positions to an audience that opposed his policies, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The takeaway from the event was the removal by State Police of Emily Feiner. Feiner is on video telling the Police that she won’t leave. Several troopers carried her out. We wonder if Feiner needed to be removed from the town hall. Media reports claim that Lawler’s aide and Putnam County Legislator Erin Crowley asked for Feiner to be removed.
We don’t know what Feiner said, but with another hundred protestors screaming at Lawler, did anyone hear Feiner? To begin with, there was no control of the room, so why remove Feiner? At least there was no violence, just a lot of noise.
Progressive Democrats and opponents of Lawler were not satisfied with his answers, including Feiner, who repeatedly called out, “Answer the question, answer the question.” When Police asked her to leave, she said, “You Are Taking on An Old Jewish Woman -I’m Not Leaving.”
After her removal, Feiner compared her experience to “Germany in 1938,” when the Nazis and Hitler were in power. Lawler explained that Feiner was removed “after persistently interrupting the event, disrespecting attendees, berating staff, and ignoring orders by state police.”
“Today, a radical far-left activist, who was escorted out of my town hall last night by state police after repeatedly disrupting the event, disrespecting fellow attendees, abusing my staff, and ignoring orders by state police, compared her experience to the brutal murder of six million Jews in Nazi Germany.
“Specifically, she told a local reporter that the town hall felt like ‘Germany in 1938.’ With all due respect, that’s insane and offensive. She needs help. Sadly, it is just another incendiary statement this individual has made over many years.
“Folks, make no mistake, while many people attend these town halls to engage in discourse and honest debate, others do so with the sole objective of sowing chaos and attracting the attention of media more concerned with clickbait headlines than straight journalism.
“The right to peaceably assemble and share one’s political views is the foundation of our democracy and a pillar of the First Amendment. It’s why I defied party leadership and decided to host public town halls this spring when most chose not to. I begrudge no one their opinion of me or my votes– good or bad.
“The only request made to attendees was that they follow some basic rules of decorum and treat fellow residents and my staff – most of them young people who decided to pursue public service – with respect and decency. To the vast majority who did, thank you; to those who did not, shame on you,” concluded Rep. Lawler.
The attacks against Lawler will likely continue until the November elections in 2026. Lawler was rumored to be a candidate for Governor, but now it seems more likely that Republicans would want him to try and hold his congressional seat with a majority in the House of 8 members. Six democrats have already announced their intentions to challenge Lawler next year.
