SALINA — As Republican lawmakers at town hall meetings, U.S. Rep. John Mannion had a friendly audience for his first public forum in the 22nd Congressional District.
Mannion, D-Geddes, held a town hall meeting Monday at Liverpool's Chestnut Hill Middle School. More than 100 people attended the event.
A recurring theme during the question-and-answer portion of the forum was the state of American democracy. Mannion was asked if the U.S. is in the midst of a constitutional crisis. He responded, "My quick answer is yes."
"By definition, the defiance of a court order is a constitutional crisis," Mannion said, referring to the in multiple cases.
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U.S. Rep. John Mannion speaks during a town hall meeting at Chestnut Hill Middle School in the town of Salina Monday.
Later in the meeting, another constituent inquired about whether Mannion was working with moderate Republicans to uphold the Constitution. Mannion did not want to limit that work to moderates. He is also willing to work with conservative Republicans.
"I don't think the people want a violation of the rule of law," he added.
When Mannion was elected in November, he mentioned the 22nd district voters wanted unity. He also aimed to work toward compromise with other members of Congress and the Trump administration.
But he acknowledged the difficulty of those collaborative efforts in the first four months of the Trump administration. In his opening remarks, he told the crowd that he is "more partisan than I thought I was going to be."
His approach is in response to the Trump administration's actions, including calls to roll back funding for the Micron project. In an address, Trump told Congress they should "get rid of" the CHIPS and Science Act, a 2022 law that provides funding for onshoring semiconductor manufacturers.
Mannion admitted it was "concerning" hearing Trump criticize the CHIPS and Science Act, which will provide $6.1 billion to support Micron's $100 billion investment in central New York. But he has received assurances that Micron has signed a contract and the funding will flow its way.
While the Trump administration's actions can be overwhelming, Mannion detailed his approach. He is working with attorneys general and labor unions to support lawsuits challenging various policies. Legislating is also a priority, even though he is in the House minority.Â

U.S. Rep. John Mannion delivers opening remarks at a town hall meeting at Liverpool's Chestnut Hill Middle School on Monday.
Mannion told the audience to "elevate the message." He encouraged them to write letters to the editor or share posts on social media.
"Support people who are calling this out for what it is," he said.
Mannion hasn't announced plans for more town hall meetings. He represents the 22nd district, which includes the city of Auburn and southern portion of Cayuga County.
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 664-4631 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on X @RobertHarding.