Hundreds gathered at the Allen County Public Library in downtown Fort Wayne for an ‘empty chair’ town hall, only to be met with an unexpected delivery—donuts, courtesy of U.S. Senator Jim Banks’ team. Now, Indivisible Northeast Indiana is firing back, calling it a “parlor trick” and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Donuts and a Message: Banks’ Team Sparks Controversy
On Friday, residents filled the library auditorium for a town hall meeting that had been planned in response to local Republican leaders’ decision not to hold public forums during the current Congressional recess. Instead of showing up, representatives for Sen. Banks arrived with a box of donuts, filming attendees’ reactions and later posting the footage to the senator’s social media accounts.
In a press release sent Sunday, Indivisible Northeast Indiana addressed the stunt directly.
“We appreciate the parlor trick of offering donuts to the event’s attendees and recording their reactions, but we also feel it was a waste of taxpayer money—ironic coming from someone pledging to eliminate fraud and waste in the federal government.”
The footage, which Banks posted to Facebook, X, and Instagram, was captioned with the phrase: “You won’t want to miss what happened next!” He framed the delivery as a way to “lighten the mood.”
Indivisible Northeast Indiana Sees Unexpected Upside
While Banks’ team may have intended to poke fun at the gathering, the move seems to have backfired—at least according to Indivisible Northeast Indiana.
“This has created an outstanding recruitment video for our cause,” the group stated in response. “We appreciate you and your associates alerting more citizens to join us in our fight to preserve democracy and oppose the unconstitutional overreach of the Trump administration.”
Friday’s event was part of a broader nationwide effort during the Congressional recess, running from March 15 to 23, where similar ‘empty chair’ town halls have been organized to highlight absent lawmakers.
Who Showed Up—and Who Didn’t
Despite the absence of Republican representatives, the event still featured Democratic officials, including:
- Indiana House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta
- State Rep. Kyle Miller
Both took the stage, fielding questions from the public on a range of topics, including legislative issues, the Trump administration, and how its policies are affecting local communities. Meanwhile, empty chairs symbolized the absent U.S. Senators Todd Young and Jim Banks, along with U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman—all Republicans.
Republican Responses: Supporters Call Event ‘Fake’
Sen. Banks’ office later dismissed the town hall as an illegitimate gathering, telling local news station 21Alive:
“Attending a fake town hall with a small group of whiny Democrats suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome is not at the top of his priority list.”
Sen. Young’s team responded with a more diplomatic statement, emphasizing that he “regularly meets with Hoosiers in a variety of formats, including attending meetings and events across Indiana.”
Rep. Marlin Stutzman’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
What’s Next?
Indivisible Northeast Indiana isn’t stopping here. Leaders announced that another town hall will take place at the Allen County Public Library on April 19.
“It’s time that we stand up and demand accountability from our elected officials,” said Jim Carpenter, co-founder of the group. “DOGE cuts are harming American families, and this administration is undermining America on the world stage.”
As election season heats up, the tensions between grassroots activists and elected officials show no signs of cooling off.
