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Denton County town hall participants clash with Rep. Michael Burgess on Trump, health care

Michael Burgess hosts town hall meeting in Aubrey.

LITTLE ELM -- Rep. Michael Burgess on Thursday clashed with participants at his town hall meeting over the investigation into President Donald Trump's relationship with Russia.

Critics of Trump blasted Burgess for not holding the president accountable for what they described as his campaign's role in helping Russia interfere with the 2016 presidential election.

"Some of you have been complacent. You are letting an illegitimate president sit in the White House," said Heather Lewis, a nurse from Flower Mound.

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Burgess countered that he was tired of hearing Democrats complain about last year's presidential election.

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"Hillary Clinton lost because she was a bad candidate," he said.

Congressman Michael Burgess talks with concerned residents during a town hall meeting at...
Congressman Michael Burgess talks with concerned residents during a town hall meeting at Braswell High School in Little Elm, Texas on Thursday, August 3, 2017. (Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer)
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In their sharpest exchange, Burgess told Lewis that he gave up a 25-year career as a medical doctor to run for office and was proud of being a public servant.

"Then prove it," Lewis said. "Stand up to Trump."

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Earlier this year former FBI director Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel and charged with investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 elections. According to news reports, the inquiry has been expanded to include Trump and his families financial activities. A grand jury has been tapped to weigh charges, reports say.

About 200 people attended the town hall meeting inside the Braswell High School gym in Little Elm.

It's Burgess' first town hall since Senate Republicans failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Burgess has been an outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act.

Before the town hall meeting he told The Dallas Morning News that Senate Republicans should pass a bill and allow the issue to be settled by negotiations with the House.

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Unlike many GOP lawmakers, Burgess, R-Pilot Point, has held several town hall meetings this year.

Though most of the residents who spoke at the town hall event were critics of Trump and Republicans, there were some supporters of the president in the crowd.

The crowd lets their feelings be known at a town hall meeting with Congressman Michael...
The crowd lets their feelings be known at a town hall meeting with Congressman Michael Burgess at Braswell High School in Little Elm, Texas on Thursday, August 3, 2017. (Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer)

Steve Crevier, a Providence Village man who wore a red shirt that read "Trump won. Get over it," said the president was doing a good job.

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"I'm tired of all the blaming and finger pointing that's going on in Washington," he said before the meeting began.

But Bill Reed, a retired Denton resident, said Burgess was enabling Trump's bad behavior.

"The GOP is acting like a solid wall and will defend things that are indefensible," he said.

Burgess has another town hall meeting on Saturday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the auditorium at The Colony High School.

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