A California congresswoman struggled to soothe the worries of her constituents during a town hall meeting at Los Angeles City College on Monday night.
Rep. Laura Friedman was confronted by a rowdy group who seemed fed-up with the Democratic Party—accusing the left of not doing enough to curb Donald Trump’s extreme agenda.
The congresswoman attempted to address constituents’ worries about topics like support for Israel, transgender health care, campaign finance, and why certain members are not doing town halls. However, angry voters repeatedly interrupted her.
A couple of trans flags waved in the crowd Monday night as multiple hecklers continued to confront Friedman, forcing her to raise her voice above the dissenting cacophony.
“I don’t believe that you have pushed hard enough! I don’t believe that you have fought hard enough!” a constituent yelled.
“I am doing literally everything that I know how and that I think will actually make a difference,” Friedman pushed back. “And there are members of Congress all across this country who are messaging in a way that they think is effective to their constituencies and constituencies even in other districts.”
Friedman acknowledged the frustration, noting that if Trump declared martial law, the U.S. would face a Constitutional crisis: “And you’re right. If the Trump administration declares martial law and brings people on the streets, we have a constitutional crisis.”
Rumors speculate that Trump may invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 and impose martial law on April 20, following an executive order he signed on Inauguration Day, hinting at the possibility within his first 90 days. The Insurrection Act allows the President to deploy the National Guard or military to enforce federal law during civil unrest or rebellion.
“We’ve got to make sure the people of this country, the ones who really have the power along with the elected representatives who see this for what it is, stand up. But we can only do what we can do,” Friedman added.
Friedman represents California’s 30th Congressional District, which includes parts of Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, and Pasadena. The former state lawmaker succeeded Rep. Adam Schiff after his successful bid for the U.S. Senate. She was sworn into Congress on January 3, 2025.
Voters’ frustrations with the Democratic Party have been further exacerbated by its apparent inability to combat the Trump administration.
A national NBC News poll from March showed that the Democratic Party has reached an all-time low in popularity. Only 27 percent of registered voters view the Democratic Party positively—the lowest rating since 1990—indicating a desire for the party to stand firm rather than compromise.
The Daily Beast reached out to Friedman’s office for comment.
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