Representative Sam Liccardo (CA-16) conducted his first Town Hall meeting in the Coastside on Tuesday, 22 April 2025. The event was co-sponsored by Brews & Views, Half Moon Bay Mayor Robert Brownstone, and the Coastside Democrats.
About 150 people filled Mavericks House to capacity, and the event was livestreamed on Rep. Liccardo’s unofficial Facebook page, where it is available to watch on demand. Rep. Liccardo started by acknowledging the unprecedented situation in which we find ourselves, saying “this is a challenging time to lead local communities because we aren’t helping them much in Washington. In fact we are hurting them in a lot of ways, so l appreciate folks who are willing to stand up in local communities right now at a time when all the money seems to be getting pulled away.
“I do want to at least ground ourselves for a moment — this is the most beautiful location in which I have ever engaged in a Town Hall in my life. So we are all part of this. That’s very exciting.
“So I’m the only person I know who’s not on Pete Hegseth’s Signal chat group so I may not know all the answers but I’m going to try my best at what is a very difficult time for our country. This is a crisis, there is no question. So the logical question is ‘what are you doing about it?’ I hear that on occasion. So I thought I’d summarize what it is I believe I can do within the limits of my position.…As I see it we are facing an authoritarian push from this president unlike anything we have seen in my lifetime or perhaps ever in our country. It requires a response for which there is no textbook. Everyone is trying to figure it out as we go along. There are voices saying that we are not hearing enough, we are not doing enough. I get it and I don’t blame any folks that are saying that. There’s a lot of good reason for frustration and anger and fear.
“Let me tell you what I am focused on. l am focused on three things: legislating, litigating, and communicating.…There are some things we can do in those categories that can hopefully if we are all working together to stave off the worst of what’s happening in Washington,” Liccardo began.
In the category of legislating, Congressman Liccardo discussed the bill he introduced to prohibit elected officials and other Federal officials from issuing digital assets and securities. Dubbed the Modern Emoluments and Malfeasance Enforcement (MEME) Act, Liccardo acknowledged the bill is not likely to pass the current Congress, but said he both wanted to officially register the financial exploitation of the public by corrupt Federal officeholders as well as get the attention of hundreds of thousands of swing voters who have lost money on meme coins issued by the President and First Lady.
Liccardo also discussed his Protect Families from Inflation Act that would require the Federal Reserve Bank to examine the impact of tariffs on consumers and small businesses, again a bill that faces an uphill battle in the House but is designed to show that Democrats are trying to force scrutiny of the reckless economic actions of the current Administration.
The Congressman said his litigation efforts include joining the House Democrats’ Rapid Response Task Force & Litigation Working Group, to help fight back against the unconstitutional and illegal executive actions being spawn by the Administration. The working group has begun sending letters to law firms that have been agreeing to provide pro bono legal services in exchange for the President revoking Executive Orders against them. The letters detail the potential Federal, State, and Professional Conduct violations such arrangements likely make. Liccardo suggested at the Town Hall that law firm partners who execute such arrangements with the Administration could be disbarred.
And Rep. Liccardo referenced his day on the Coastside as an example of communicating, starting with a presentation to Senior Coastsiders, followed by an appearance at the San Mateo County Public Library in Half Moon Bay, and ending with his Coastside Town Hall. He reiterated his appreciation for the local groups that have been supporting regular public protests throughout our area, and for the groups who bring him and other elected officials to the Coastside.
Join Coastside Democrats and La Honda Indivisible in the nationwide May Day Strong protests. Gather at Main Street and Highway 92 starting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1st with your signs and noisemakers.