Editor’s Note: The following op-ed was written in response to a column written by Rep. Adam Gray. Congressman Gray’s column was a response to a story published by The Merced FOCUS about his vote on the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.
When voters sent Adam Gray to Congress, we expected an open door and resistance against the corruption in Washington. Instead, the Central Valley has received closed-door leadership and a voting record that raises hard questions.
Eliseo Gamino, President of the Central Valley Leadership Roundtable, recently criticized Gray in a story by reporter Caleb Sprous for The Merced FOCUS, calling on him to “host a town hall” and “take accountability for [his] vote[s]”.
Gray responded to Sprous’ story in a recent column, saying “there’s no rule” that says the only way a member of Congress can listen to constituents is at a town hall.
Gray’s right.
There is no requirement for members of Congress to host town halls. There’s also no requirement for members of Congress to show up and vote. The prolonged and initially unexplained absence of Senator Mitch McConnell clearly demonstrates the lack of standards for Congressional attendance and job performance.
There are few real requirements for elected officials. No law requires us to read our staff reports and stay up to speed on pressing issues. No rule forces us to vote with the best interests of our constituents in mind.
You do it anyway.
Merced Mayor Matthew Serrato is not required to host routine community clean-ups and be present at seemingly every event that takes place in the city. He does it anyway.
Atwater City Councilmember Kalisa Rochester is not required to conduct immense research on invoices from outside contractors that are ripping off her city. She does it anyway.
Gustine Unified School District Board Member Zachary Ramos is not required to spend countless hours operating Gustine Traveling Library. He does it anyway.
Livingston Mayor Jose Moran is not required to sacrifice time with his family to answer phone calls from constituents well past working hours. He does it anyway.
In a world where citizens have rightfully lost faith in government, “trusted” institutions, and the democratic process, elected officials cannot hide behind closed doors. They must actively seek out the people they represent.
To Gray’s credit, he may be among the only members of Congress that hosts quarterly Zoom briefings.
According to the JFW Fund, a fundraising committee that “provides direct funding to the most vulnerable new Democratic House members,” constituents can see Adam Gray and other House members on their screen every three months if they simply donate a “minimum” of $5,000 to become a Founding Member of the Fund.
In doing so, they’ll receive access to quarterly “Insider Briefings” with JFW members (including Gray) and invites to swearing-in ceremonies/parties in D.C., all while supporting “a functional Democracy,” the JFW Fund website says.
The Congressman can give the impression that he’s accessible to his constituents all he’d like, but the reality is that he operates in a pay-for-play system where money buys access for those that can afford to spend it.
District 13 voters don’t want a representative that lectures us on “what representation looks like” while auctioning off special access to big money donors that can cut a $5,000 check.
We need a representative that shows up in a free and open town hall setting, looks voters in the eye, and answers to anyone in the community, regardless of their income bracket.
It’s not required. You do it anyway.
Japjeet Singh Uppal sits on the Livingston City Council in Merced County.