Local Group Steps Up After Max Miller Cancels Town Hall

Attendee's were greeted by a sign indicating Congressman Max Miller had cancelled the event

Originally reported by Samantha Ann Illius of West Life News

After U.S. Rep. Max Miller (R–OH-7) canceled a long-awaited town hall last month in Westlake—citing a last-minute family emergency—local constituents and grassroots organizers are stepping up to fill the void.

The 7th District Democratic Alliance, a new grassroots group, is hosting a public Town Hall on Thursday, June 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Westlake Porter Public Library, just down the road from the venue where Miller’s May 30 meeting was abruptly scrapped. The event is open to the public and aims to offer constituents a forum to raise concerns in the absence of official engagement.

“We just thought it would make even more of a point that he’s been avoiding this stuff now for a solid year,” said Ed FitzGerald, former Cuyahoga County Executive and a member of the Alliance. “Of course he hasn’t responded.”

The canceled meeting, originally coordinated with the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, was supposed to be tailored to senior residents and featured on the front page of Westlake’s senior newsletter. Over 100 people had RSVPed. Just an hour before it was scheduled to begin, Miller’s office alerted organizers of the cancellation. A robocall followed—but not everyone got the message in time.

“He made a specific commitment to the Westlake community and the seniors, and he broke that commitment,” said FitzGerald. “We’re within like three-tenths of a mile of where the last one was supposed to be.”

Frustration among residents has been mounting. One constituent, Dennis Kay, wrote online that the last-minute robocall “left us a little skeptical.” Others, like Judy Boguslawski Routhier, expressed disappointment at missing the chance to confront Miller about “his lies” regarding Medicare and Medicaid votes.

Since taking office in 2023, Miller has hosted only a few sparsely publicized town halls—mostly by telephone or with pre-screened questions. His predecessor, Rep. Bob Gibbs, held multiple public town halls during his tenure.

“We were frustrated that Max Miller, with everything going on in the country, wasn’t having any Town Halls at all,” FitzGerald added. “That’s why we started organizing ‘Empty Chair Town Halls.’”

The June 26 event will follow that same format: open mic, no scripts, and a focus on constituent-driven dialogue. FitzGerald emphasized that topics will likely include Social Security, Medicare, and the federal budget.

“You don’t know what you’re going to get,” he said. “That’s the beautiful part about democracy.”

The Alliance’s efforts have grown quickly—from just two people to over 200 members, many organizing and spreading the word through Facebook and Instagram.

“We’re basically a Facebook group,” FitzGerald explained. “These things happen very organically. People tell their friends and neighbors.”

Despite the group’s Democratic name, FitzGerald emphasized the core mission is accountability.

“[Miller] doesn’t have to come to our events. But he should hold his own,” he said. “And if you believe in what you’re doing, then you should defend it.”

For more information, you can find the original West Life News article by Samantha Ann Illius here