BYLINE, MADISON AUMENT: Back in his district over the weekend, Republican Congressman Jay Obernolte, who represents Yucca Valley, got an earful at a town hall meeting. Many in the audience criticized the congressman’s support of DOGE’s attempts to shrink the federal government. Some two hundred people packed the Yucca Valley Community Center.
SOUND OF SHOUTING
AUMENT: They shouted over Obernolte as he tried to speak.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: He's not saying anything to us.
REP. JAY OBERNOLTE: You guys having fun. I'm having fun.
AUMENT: This is how Obernolte responded when he was asked how he felt about Elon Musk, who is not an elected official, making massive cuts.
OBERNOLTE: I’m very glad there is someone looking at all of the waste. We are in an existential crisis.
AUMENT: Obernolte is on the House Budget Committee. He recently voted for a budget resolution that would cut federal spending by 2 trillion dollars. Many people came to the meeting to protest the firing of Joshua Tree National Park employees. Obernolte said they’d be rehired, but did not explain further. The National Park Service has not responded to KVCR’s request to confirm this.