WASHINGTON -- A Fayetteville activist who tried and failed to meet with one of Sen. Tom Cotton's staff members got a personal apology from the lawmaker this week -- and an offer to meet soon.
The Republican from Dardanelle phoned Caitlynn Moses of Ozark Indivisible on Thursday afternoon and promised to hold a town-hall meeting later this month.
The time and location are yet to be determined, but the event will be held over the recess for Washington's Birthday, according to Cotton spokesman Caroline Rabbitt on Friday.
Moses and dozens of others had protested outside Cotton's Springdale office Wednesday after one of his staff members canceled, without explanation, a meeting that had already been rescheduled once.
Rabbitt characterized Thursday's conversation as "very cordial." Moses described it as "really cordial."
"He was extremely polite, and I really appreciate him taking time out to talk to me," Moses said.
She hadn't expected to hear from the lawmaker directly, she said. "I thought that I would get a call from his office, but it was really nice that he took the time out of his day to call me himself."
Moses, like many of the other activists, opposes Republican efforts to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, restrict refugee programs and appoint Cabinet members viewed as outside the mainstream.
During her conversation with Cotton, Moses voiced her opposition to education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos, the billionaire philanthropist, school-choice advocate and major Republican donor.
Cotton listened, Moses said, but maintained that DeVos deserved the opportunity to serve.
"He said, 'Give her a chance,'" Moses recalled.
Ozark Indivisible was formed after the election of President Donald Trump and is part of the national Indivisible movement, which was formed to "resist the Trump agenda."
A video posted at indivisibleguide.com encourages like-minded individuals to visit their lawmakers' offices and, "Let them know you care, you vote and you are watching them."
Activists in Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock had accused Cotton of being inaccessible, claiming that voters weren't allowed to enter the congressman's in-state offices without an appointment.
Other delegation members, they said, had an open-door policy.
Rabbitt said Friday that Cotton also emphasizes accessibility.
"He's always been committed to making visitors feel welcome," she said.
Signs on the senator's doors that say "Entrance by appointment only" are coming down, she said.
The staff in the senator's Jonesboro office also has offered to meet with activists there, she added.
On Ozark Indivisible's Facebook page, supporters celebrated news that Cotton will meet with them.
"Do not think for a second that what we're doing doesn't have an impact. We were heard and we were heard in a big way! Keep at it, everyone!," Moses said in an online post.
By early Friday afternoon, the announcement had received more than 500 Likes, 85 Loves and 37 Wows.
Ozark Indivisible members are now calling on other members of the Arkansas congressional delegations to follow Cotton's lead and hold town-hall meetings of their own.
Earlier this week, the protesters had questioned why the Springdale office for Cotton would only meet with five constituents at a time.
During Thursday's phone conversation, Cotton told Moses that the space is too small to accommodate large groups.
The senator said he would work with the group to find a larger venue so that the other Ozark Indivisible members could attend, Rabbitt said.
In the meantime, people can disregard the "Entrance by appointment only" signs.
"They were suggested to us by the sergeant at arms as a security measure," Rabbitt said. "They were never meant to deter people from coming."
Constituents can stop by even if they haven't scheduled a meeting, Rabbitt said.
Some offices have only one or two employees. Calling ahead increases the chances that somebody will be available, she said.
"We suggest making prior appointments so that we can ensure we have staff available to assist, but all are welcome to visit any of our offices at any time," she said via email.
A Section on 02/04/2017