The first 100 days of a new Congress are critical. If your Congressman disappears during the first 100 days, you may never have your voice heard in Washington. Every second counts.
Here’s what we know so far about Congressman Paul Cook’s disappearance. We’ll update with more information as it becomes available. #WhereIsPaulCook #PrayforPaul
November 6, 2012 — Col. Paul Cook (ret.) is elected by California’s 8th Congressional District to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
September 5, 2013 — Rep. Cook holds a town hall in Bishop, CA where he discusses a range of policy issues, from Syria to wilderness designations to veterans rights. The event is the last in-person “town hall” that the Congressman will hold. Instead, his office shifts to scheduling “meet and greets.”
June 6, 2015 — Rep. Cook holds his annual Congressional Art Competition Showcase and “Meet and Greet.” According to Joshua, a staffer in the Congressman’s Apple Valley office, his office “considers the event a town hall.” Judge for yourself: Does it look like a “town hall?”
June 16, 2015 — Rep. Cook schedules a “Twitter Town Hall” for 6/24/15. In a press release, Congressman Cook explains that, “Engaging with constituents across the 8th District remains one of my top priorities. I’ve held Twitter Town Halls in the past and they’ve been hugely successful. I’m looking forward to the June 24th and the questions it will bring.”
June 23, 2015 — Rep. Cook postpones the Twitter Town Hall scheduled for 6/24/15. He never reschedules the event.
July 4, 2016 — Rep. Cook tells the San Bernardino Sun that he endorses Donald Trump for President: “I will support Donald Trump just as I have supported every Republican presidential nominee. While we don’t agree on every subject, our country can’t afford Hillary Clinton as president.”
November 8, 2016 — Rep. Cook is re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
January-February, 2017 — Despite the Congressman’s claim that he and Donald Trump “don’t agree on every subject,” Rep. Cook begins the new Congress by casting ALL of his votes in line with the President’s racist, sexist, corrupt, and authoritarian agenda.
January 17, 2017 — 25 of Rep. Cook’s constituents meet with the Congressman’s staffer, Matt Knox, at the Apple Valley district office to communicate their concerns about the Trump administration’s agenda, including ACA repeal, climate change denial, threats to social programs, “the wall,” and the President’s conflicts of interests. Attendees read and delivered letters concerning these policy issues, and they asked for both detailed responses and a chance to meet with the Congressman in person. The Congressman provides a written response, but no meeting.
January 31, 2017 — Roughly 60 of Rep. Cook’s constituents convene at the Congressman’s Apple Valley office to communicate their shock and outrage at the Congressman’s support for the President’s Muslim Ban. At that meeting, constituents request that the Congressman reverse his position on the Muslim ban and convene a town hall to discuss their policy concerns. The Congressman does neither.
February 7, 2017 — Rep. Cook’s constituents place dozens of calls to his D.C., Apple Valley, and Yucaipa offices asking the Congressman to convene a town hall in the Victor Valley during the upcoming district work week (Feb. 18-26). The Congressman does not schedule a town hall.
February 14, 2017 — Roughly 35 of Rep. Cook’s constituents hold a rally at the Congressman’s Apple Valley office on Valentine’s Day to tell him to “Be Our Representative” and hold a town hall during the upcoming district work week. His constituents deliver 103 Valentine’s cards to the Congressman’s Apple Valley office and another 14 to his Yucaipa office (which was closed and locked during business hours). The Congressman does not schedule a town hall.
February 16, 2017 — Rep. Cook’s constituents launch a petition calling on the Congressman to “hold regularly-scheduled, open, and accessible town halls.” In three days, more than 350 constituents sign the petition.
February 18-26, 2017 — Congress holds “district work week” — a period when legislators are expected to be in their home districts interacting with constituents. Rep. Cook’s staffer, Matt Knox, tells constituents that the Congressman will not be holding a town hall during district work week, AND that he cannot reveal what the Congressman is doing during district work week due to “operational security.”
February 21, 2017 — Rep. Cook’s constituents launch “Where is Paul Cook?” — an effort to find the missing Congressman and urge him to come home for a widely publicized, in-person town hall in the Victor Valley.
#WhereIsPaulCook #PrayforPaul