U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen has been the target of protests outside his district office
MORRISTOWN -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinguyhusen will hold an invitation-only "telephone town hall" Monday, his third in four weeks.
Frelinghuysen, R-11th District, has been the focus of widely-publicized, weekly protests outside his district office over President Donald Trump and Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Frelinghuysen has been a strong advocate of repealing and replacing the health care program, also known as Obamacare.
Frelinghuysen has been criticized for not holding in-person town halls or showing up at events organized by the protesters. Hundreds of protesters have attended rallies outside his office.
At his Feb. 28 invitation-only, telephone town hall, Frelinghuysen continued to denounce the ACA, however, he has created some distance between himself and Trump, though he supported Trump's presidential bid.
Frelinghuysen said Trump should release his tax returns, challenged his views on Russia and said his administration needs to "step up its game" responding to a national wave of anti-Semitic harassment.
"I don't think he chooses his words carefully," Frelinghuysen said of Trump.
Elected in 1994, Frelinghuysen's profile on Capitol Hill surged in January, when he became chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Monday's town hall will start at 5 p.m.
Frelinghuysen's office outlined the process for getting an invite.
To gain access to the call, call either his Washington office (202-225-5034) or Morristown office (973-984-0711) and provide a telephone number, or use a button at https://frelinghuysen.house.gov.
The 11th Congressional District includes most of Morris County and parts of Essex, Sussex and Passaic counties.
Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook