Two men who got into a heated confrontation during a North Dakota town hall for Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer had to be escorted from the event Thursday afternoon.
Mr. Cramer faced a hostile crowd in Mandan during a question-and-answer session largely focused on his support for the American Health Care Act.
Video from the event showed one man, identified by The Bismarck Tribune as Hazen resident Mike Quinn, angrily approaching Mr. Cramer and trying to shove a wad of bills into the congressman’s shirt collar.
“If the health care is destroyed, do the rich get a tax break? Yes or no,” Mr. Quinn asked as he approached Mr. Cramer.
“Of course not,” the congressman replied.
“There ya go,” Mr. Quinn said as he tried putting money into Mr. Cramer’s collar.
Mr. Cramer grabbed the money and said, “OK, buddy, that is too far.”
Mr. Quinn was quickly escorted out of the event but was not arrested, The Bismarck Tribune reported.
Shortly before Mr. Quinn’s outburst, an apparent supporter of Mr. Cramer rose from his seat and put his hands around Mr. Quinn’s throat while he was speaking. That man was also escorted out but not arrested, The Bismarck Tribune reported.
Mr. Cramer said the Mandan town hall was one of the toughest crowds he’s faced during his time in office.
“I don’t have to agree with them, but I still have an obligation to listen to them,” he told a local ABC affiliate. “I don’t blame people for their anger or anxiety.”
Mr. Quinn later told The Bismarck Tribune that he thinks the Republican health care bill is a large tax giveaway for the wealthy, and that he became increasingly frustrated with Mr. Cramer’s apparent dodging of constituents’ questions.
“It was spur of the moment. I was just so mad. I just kept getting angrier and angrier,” Mr. Quinn said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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