- A congressional town hall at the American Legion Hall was standing-room only, with more than 400 neighbors and officials in attendance.
- A silent protest outside City Hall organized by local veterans took place the same day.
- Watch the video to learn why neighbors are upset over recent White House efforts and why they are calling for action from Congressman Neal Dunn.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Disappointment and determination— that's how hundreds of neighbors in Leon County say they feel amid recent actions from the White House and a lack of support from local leaders. I'm Kenya Cardonne in the Northwest Tallahassee neighborhood. Among many concerns, veteran support had the spotlight and in more than one way.
Tension and passion during a local congressional town hall.
American Legion Hall at one point — standing-room only.
Ryan Ray, Chair of Leon County Democratic Party - "Today I think 500 people said, loud and clear: We don't want drastic cuts to federal programs. We don't want a unilateral king-like President, frankly, and we want congressional representation that speaks for our values."
The Leon County Democratic Party organized the town hall and tells us an invitation was extended to Congressman Dunn. Dunn did not make an appearance.
Neighbors felt disappointed as they said they wanted the representative to hear their long list of concerns, which include the Department of Government Efficiency's plans to cut 83,000 jobs from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Richard Yood, Veteran - "I am extremely disappointed in the way things are going, and I don't look for any easy time ahead for the country."
13,000 veterans in Leon County.. hundreds of them doing different things to get Dunn's attention, including a silent protest bright and early outside City Hall where the congressman himself hosted a U.S. Military Service Academy Day.
Neal Dunn, R-FL 2nd District - "We're introducing the high school students, and actually some middle school students, to a program that my office sponsors that prepares them to be better candidates for the military academies."
Yood - "All of us here that were serving are using the VA in one way or another. So the dichotomy of him wanting to sign people up at the same time as throwing the rest of us away is repugnant to me."
Representative Dunn and his team declined to comment on either of Saturday's movements.
Lawrence Rester, Veteran - "We're brothers and sisters, and we honor one another.."
A sensitive subject for many local veterans who fear the idea of reduced benefits, support and honor not only for themselves but for future veterans as well.
Rester - "Thank you for serving, you know, if you decide to join at this point. But, it is certainly within the realm of possibilities that someone says, 'I can't see joining if this is what's going to be behind me.'"
Despite the VA Secretary's promise that benefits will not be affected by job cuts, neighbors tell me they still feel threatened by recent actions from the White House.
They say they are determined to use the power of community to make their voices heard.
John Stiles, Veteran - "To step forward and save our democracy. Save our democracy. We can do it. We can do it."
The effort continues Monday, March 24th at 11 A.M. outside City Hall where neighbors say they will be protesting Congressman Dunn's silence. In Northwest Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne ABC 27.
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