Сенатор Меркли обсудил коррупцию в администрации Трампа на митинге в Бэнде

Sen. Merkley shares corruption concerns in Bend town hall Published 7:00 am Friday, August 14, 2026 U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley visited Bend on Thursday to hold a town hall at Central Oregon Community College where he discussed federal corruption and asked attendees what they believe are the most pressing issues for the country. More than 200 people attended. The town hall lasted for an hour and Sen. Merkley’s team had community members rank what accusations of federal corruption of the Trump Administration they were most troubled by. Of the 16 available categories, the three with the most votes were: “President sues the federal government, then awards himself a massive settlement.” And, “President redirects, without congressional authorization, taxpayer dollars to his pet projects.” Lastly, “President threatens broadcast licenses to silence criticism.” Following the vote, Sen. Merkley asked the group to share why they voted for these topics. When discussing the President’s silencing of certain media, Merkley said, “Changing or influencing the media, a major tactic of an authoritarian leader, is extraordinarily dangerous for democracies,’ ” A University of Oregon college student shared her concerns about media control and her desire to “hear both sides” of issues. Another member of the audience said she wanted to note that the corruption isn’t just the actions of the president. She felt it wasn’t unusual for presidents to advocate for more power, but it was unusual to see how Congress was letting it happen. Throughout the town hall, several themes arose among residents who made comments. They included distrust of the federal government, frustration with the lack of checks and balances and an overall concern about the direction the country is heading. Merkley encouraged people to use their power as citizens by joining peaceful protests, reaching out to elected officials, considering running for office and more. “If you join a group that shares your values, whatever group that is, then we’ll be energized, and we’ll be effective, and our republic needs that now more than any time in our entire lifetimes. So together, let’s save our republic,” Merkley said to close the meeting.