Heller speaks at closed-door event in Henderson, draws protest outside

By Ricardo Torres-Cortez

Published Saturday, March 11, 2017 | 5:57 p.m.

Updated Saturday, March 11, 2017 | 6:23 p.m.

While Sen. Dean Heller spoke today at a private town hall event in Sun City Anthem, more than 100 sign-toting and chant-shouting demonstrators gathered outside the senior living community, hoping to ask him questions and air their concerns about the future of the Affordable Care Act.

But that face-to-face meeting will have to wait for another occasion, as the Nevada Republican addressed only those present in the indoor event that only allowed entry to the Sun City Anthem Republican Club, which hosted the event, and other card-holding residents.

For about two hours Saturday morning, the demonstrators rallied on sidewalks flanking a community entrance they’d thought Heller would enter from, belting protest cries, such as “Heller, Heller you can’t hide, we can see your heartless side!” and “ACA is here to stay, let us live another day!”

Since November's election, there have been calls for Heller, who is up for re-election next year, to explain his views on President Donald Trump's policies, including the proposed repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act.

Heller has been holding town halls over the phone, his spokesman Neal Patel told the Associated Press. Saturday’s crowd referenced those interactions with a chant: “We want a town hall, not a stinking robocall!”

A tense moment at the protest came when a Henderson police officer threatened to arrest a jaywalking demonstrator. Soon after, other officers put on neon vests and directed traffic.

Honks by drivers passing by were met with large cheers, while a couple other drivers hurled insults at the demonstrators. "Parasites," one yelled at the crowd.

Inside the event, things may have been different.

“It got pretty rowdy at times,” Larry Grigg, 68, said of the closed-door event which he attended.

Grigg added that Sun City Anthem Republican Club members sat in the front rows and residents who don't belong to the club were seated in the back rows, even though there was empty space in between. He described face-to-face arguments and non-Republican speakers being cut off when they tried to speak.

In a separate interview, 70-year-old Carol Grau, who also attended the event, said there was booing when opposing attendees spoke. "They told me to go to hell," Grau said of an argument inside the event. "I told them to go to hell."

When asked about reports of tense moments inside the event, Patel, Heller's spokesman, said he'd heard the opposite had taken place, calling the event an "overall good meeting."

"The senator was ‎happy to meet with constituents today," Patel wrote in an email. "He gave an update from Washington where he discussed the topics of Obamacare, the new administration, and many other pertinent issues affecting Nevadans. He enjoyed hearing directly from the audience today during the question-and-answer session."

As of this evening, Heller's office had not responded to repeated requests for comment about the demonstration.

The Las Vegas Sun could not independently verify Grigg's and Grau's claims.

Back outside, Colleen Brola, a 51-year-old cancer survivor, said she was worried about losing the health care she obtained through the ACA.

She addressed several attendees with a tone of apparent frustration and anger. “I need my healthcare," Brola said. "I need my health insurance to continue. So that way I can be healthy, and I can be a citizen who can reach out and help my fellow citizens when they’re sick … that’s what insurance is; it’s helping each other.”

Multiple people took to megaphones to say how the ACA has positively impacted them or people they know.

Marcie Sherman, who carried her 6-month-old daughter on her chest, said, “I’m just surprised (Heller) is not speaking to the majority of his constituents,” alluding to Nevada’s lean to the left in the 2016 election.

The 30-year-old mother of two pointed to her daughter when asked for the reason of her increasing involvement in similar protests.