McClintock Has No Time for Town Halls—But Plenty for Jim Jordan’s Intimidation Campaign!

If you’re a constituent of Rep. Tom McClintock, you’ve probably noticed something strange: he hasn’t held a public town hall in your community in years (not since 2017!). He claims it’s because “radical groups” disrupted office hours—though there’s little public evidence to support this beyond vague accusations against Indivisible and long-familiar scapegoating of George Soros and ActBlue.

What he does have time for? Joining Rep. Jim Jordan in the latest chapter of the MAGA intimidation playbook—demanding documents from a Los Angeles-based immigrant rights group (CHIRLA) under the guise of congressional oversight.

Why? Because CHIRLA—like countless other advocacy organizations—participated in demonstrations after ICE arrests in LA. And because they’ve received federal grants for citizenship education services.

Let’s be clear: There is no publicly available evidence that CHIRLA engaged in or funded any violent activity. The organization has stated clearly that their involvement was peaceful, limited to legal observing and press events. The grants in question were awarded for citizenship and naturalization instruction, and even DHS under Biden tracked these funds for compliance.

But facts don’t seem to matter to McClintock or Jordan. This latest fishing expedition is yet another example of Trump-era tactics: target nonprofits and advocacy groups you disagree with, then imply wrongdoing by association. The real goal isn’t oversight—it’s intimidation. It’s about chilling dissent, branding immigration advocates as enemies, and sending a message: if you organize or speak out, we’ll come after you.

Meanwhile, McClintock refuses to meet with the people he actually represents.

He’ll sign letters accusing community groups of criminal activity, but won’t face constituents in Twain Harte, Placerville, or Calaveras. He’ll amplify unproven accusations about immigrant advocacy organizations, but won’t answer questions about housing, wildfires, forest management, or water rights—issues that matter every single day to people in his district.

And now, we learn that McClintock is once again inserting himself into a partisan inquisition instead of doing the work of representation. Instead of listening, he’s chasing headlines and MAGA clout. Instead of holding town halls, he’s co-signing Trumpist narratives.

You don’t have to agree with CHIRLA or support every protest that happens in LA. But if you believe in due process, fair governance, and elected officials actually talking to the people they represent, you should be asking: Why is Tom McClintock more accountable to Jim Jordan than to us?

🚨 Bottom Line for Calaveras County Residents

• Accuracy: It’s true that CHIRLA received federal grants and that McClintock joined the inquiry.
• Allegation vs. Evidence: So far, no evidence has surfaced linking federal grants to instigating violence or criminal activity.
• Legal/Constitutional Concerns: Experts caution that equating advocacy with funding riots risks chilling protected speech—and may conflict with First Amendment rights.

🧭 In summary: McClintock’s participation reflects broader GOP scrutiny of immigration-oriented nonprofits. Yet the key issue isn’t grants themselves—it’s whether those funds were misused for illegal activity. At present, no credible evidence supports that claim, and civil rights experts caution against labeling peaceful advocacy as criminal collusion.

That’s the factual landscape—fair, sourced, and nonpartisan—so Calaveras County readers can draw informed conclusions.

If you’re a voter in CA-5, demand more. Demand public forums, open dialogue, and evidence-based governance—not political stunts designed to intimidate and distract.

Sources:

1.  Investigation Launched, Not Guilt Proven

• The probe, led by Reps. Jordan, McClintock, and Biggs, is framed as a congressional “oversight” to determine whether taxpayer grants to CHIRLA were improperly used to support anti-ICE protests theguardian.com+9cbsnews.com+9nypost.com+9mynbc15.com+3judiciary.house.gov+3nypost.com+3.
• CHIRLA has denied any role in inciting violence, stating their involvement was limited to a peaceful press event and legal observation during the demonstrations foxnews.com+5hoodline.com+5nypost.com+5.

2. No Evidence Tying Grant Money to Violent Actions

• CHIRLA did receive DHS grants ($450K–$950K altogether) for citizenship and naturalization services hoodline.com+1nypost.com+1.
• But journalists—including CBS Los Angeles and The Guardian—report no credible proof that these funds were used to coordinate or finance violent rioting nbclosangeles.com+6lbccviking.com+6nypost.com+6.

3. Free Speech vs. Criminal Conspiracy

• Civil rights advocates warn the inquiry could “intimidate and suppress nonviolent advocacy” by conflating protest funding with conspiracy to incite violence—a potential First Amendment issue theguardian.com.
• The Guardian highlights how the probe resembles actions taken by Josh Hawley in the Senate, prompting alarm from civil rights groups that nonviolent advocacy is being equated with “civil unrest” theguardian.com+1cbsnews.com+1.

4. CHIRLA’s Defense

• CHIRLA insists they are a peaceful advocacy group and are prepared to comply with document requests by the July 8 deadline cbsaustin.com+10sacbee.com+10nypost.com+10.
• Their executive director called allegations “vicious lies,” and emphasized that their protest-related work was limited to legal and informational support—no violence or riots .