Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) faced a hostile crowd at a Norfolk town hall Tuesday night, where constituents repeatedly battered him over his support for Donald Trump's controversial policies — from the $1.8 billion "weaponization slush fund" to soaring food and gas prices.
According to NOTUS, Flood, who was notably shouted down by voters at a Lincoln town hall last August, was forced to justify his party's loyalty to Trump across a range of contentious issues, including the unpopular Iran war, the president's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and multi-million dollar White House renovation projects.
When pressed by a constituent about the so-called DOJ slush fund, Flood joined other Republicans critics in denouncing the $1.8 billion compensation scheme.
"I do not think we should be creating a fund for people that commit physical violence against law enforcement," Flood said. "The Senate is opening an oversight effort. And we in the House have to determine whether we do the same in the Judiciary Committee or in the Oversight Committee. I clearly think Congress needs to have an oversight role in this before I can sign off or support this."
Angry voters confronted Flood over the competing fiscal priorities consuming federal resources, CNN is reporting. One constituent demanded: "Iran war, White House ballroom, security for the White House ballroom, immigration enforcement, Trump arch, the reflecting pool renovation, slush fund for crooks and the farm bill. How do we pay for all this?"
Another voter expressed exasperation: "We can't afford things here in Norfolk. While you guys are lining your pockets within the presidency within Congress. What are you guys going to do to regulate this and actually follow laws?"
According to CNN, Warren Reimer, a man Flood said he has known since high school, directly challenged the congressman. Reimer accused Flood of being bitten by the "Beltway bug" and supporting Trump's stated goal of forcibly taking Greenland if necessary.
Flood emphasized he does not support a U.S. invasion of Greenland and said he plans to meet with the country's ambassador on June 4.
When pressed on why the Department of Justice had not released all the Epstein filesand whether the delay was meant to protect Trump, Flood claimed that if Trump appeared in the files with evidence of wrongdoing, the Biden-era DOJ would have publicized it.
"If President Trump was in the Epstein files, it would have been released," Flood said over shouts from the audience, according to NOTUS.
CNN's Annie Grayer noted that Flood's contentious town hall is likely a precursor for what other Republicans will be facing when they return home for the summer recess.