Ryan to meet with Black Caucus over "inner cities" comment
KENOSHA CO. (WITI) -- Rep. Paul Ryan is holding a series of townhall-style meetings in his congressional district, but not all of the questions or comments have been in support of the Republican congressman.
"For me it's a chance to get a sense of what's on the minds of the people I work for here in the 1st Congressional District," Ryan said.
As Congress takes a break from Washington, Ryan is back in his district talking to groups of constituents at formal listening sessions.
"We got a lot of questions about gas and oil, Ukraine, jobs, Medicare, healthcare -- that just tells me that's what's on the front of people's minds right now," Ryan said.
What is on the minds of some -- including a man at a meeting on Thursday was a comment Ryan made on a conservative radio show recently where he said:
"We have got this tailspin of culture, in our inner cities in particular, of men not working and just generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work."
"Here's the point I would make about that: I think we should be able to have a thoughtful conversation about fixing some of the real problems in our society, like poverty, without casting names and baseless accusations or name calling of people," Ryan said.
Ryan has agreed to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus about the comments.
"I'll meet with any member of Congress that wants to meet. I'm in Congress. When people want to meet with you in Congress I do so," Ryan said.
Among the topics discussed on Thursday in Kenosha County were healthcare, the budget and jobs, as well as Ukraine.
"It tells me 'oh this is how people view this issue' or this is what they think ought to be done here," Ryan said.
Ryan says he believes some of President Obama's executive orders are illegal, and says Congress has passed a bill giving the legislature standing to take the executive branch to court to determine the constitutionality of those orders.
Ryan will have one last meeting on Friday in Milton.