Signs used by protestors outside of Congressman Tony Wied's office on Wednesday afternoon. March 26, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Protestors outside the U.S. Rep. Tony Wied’s office Wednesday afternoon urged Wied to talk face-to-face with residents in his district.
“This was just supposed to be kind of a pop up. I was expecting 15-20 people. I’d say we’ve probably got about 80 people here,” said Kevin Welch, an organizer of the protest.
The protest comes after the Republican 8th District representative’s first-ever town hall March 10 was held virtually via phone-in.
“The phony, call-in that he had was not a town hall. I’d say probably half the people here were on that call. None of us got through,” Welch said.
Dean Hoegger came from Sturgeon Bay to voice his concerns.
“Town hall, in-persons should be done,” Hoegger told us. “They should be done with decorum though, of course. I don’t believe in people yelling at our congressmen, and everyone should have a turn to speak.”
The protest was held by Brown County’s chapter of Indivisible — a national group which calls itself a grassroots movement aimed at defeating President Donald Trump’s agenda.
In a statement, Wied called the group a dark money, far-left activist organization that does not represent the interests of his constituents.
Wied said his recent tele-town hall reached tens of thousands of constituents, and his office answers hundreds of calls daily to listen to people’s opinions and assist them with their needs.
Wied went on to say he will always encourage the people of Northeast Wisconsin to contact his office and voice their opinions so he’s able to best represent them.
This comes amid shouting outbursts and protests at multiple town halls across the country, which have led many Republican lawmakers to opt out of holding in-person meetings with their constituents.
U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-6th District, faced negative reactions at an in-person town hall in Oshkosh in February.
“You know, that town hall, there was an organized group of Winnebago County Democrats who showed up,” he said. “But I get out, and I meet people, not just in town halls.”
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, says he’ll continue town halls virtually.
“I think it’s very regrettable that we have our political opponents here telling people to take to the streets. And I hope not inciting violence,” Johnson said. He continued, “My concern is primarily about the safety of anybody who would attend an in-person town hall, including my staff.”
Wied’s full statement is below:
Indivisible is a dark money, far-left activist organization that does not represent the interests of my constituents. In addition to our recent tele-town hall, which reached tens of thousands of constituents, my office answers hundreds of calls daily to listen to people’s opinions and assist them with their needs. Since the beginning of the year, my office has been able to resolve hundreds of complex constituent cases and has responded to tens of thousands of inquiries. I am committed to working every day with the best interests of Wisconsin’s 8th District in mind, and I will always encourage the people of Northeast Wisconsin to contact my office and voice their opinions so I am able to best represent them.
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