Congresswoman Celeste Maloy Holds First Town Hall in Nearly Two Years Amid National Tensions

Decorum ruled the event until the end when the subject of stopping chaos in Washington came up.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 11:47pm

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Congresswoman Celeste Maloy held her first in-person town hall in St. George, Utah in nearly two years, hosted by Americans for Prosperity Utah. The hourlong event was mostly calm until the end when tensions flared over how to address the chaos in Washington. Maloy disagreed with a suggestion to "start at the top" to stop the chaos, arguing she has limited control over what the president says. The town hall also touched on issues like the fatal shooting of an ICU nurse in Minneapolis, government funding and shutdowns, and Maloy's new role as chair of the Congressional Western Caucus.

Why it matters

Maloy's town hall comes at a time of heightened national tensions, with debates over issues like police violence, government dysfunction, and the role of Congress. As a Republican representing a district with many Democratic voters, Maloy's event highlights the challenges of bridging partisan divides and addressing constituent concerns.

The details

During the town hall, Maloy addressed the fatal shooting of ICU Nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, saying "my general baseline of what government should do is not kill its own citizens." She also discussed the status of government funding, expressing confidence that Congress would avoid another shutdown. Maloy faced criticism over a land management bill she introduced, with some attendees accusing her of trying to sell off public lands. She disputed the characterization, saying the bill aimed to transfer specific parcels to local governments for infrastructure projects.

  • The town hall was held on Wednesday night.
  • Maloy's last in-person town hall in St. George was in August 2024.
  • Maloy has held several tele-town halls that she says accommodate thousands more people, including one scheduled for this Saturday.

The players

Congresswoman Celeste Maloy

A Republican member of Congress representing Utah's 2nd congressional district, which includes downtown Salt Lake City and West Valley City.

Ken Bouvier

An attendee at the town hall who suggested that stopping chaos in Washington "has to start at the top."

Heather Smith

A protester outside the town hall who expressed concerns about potential Medicaid cuts and said Maloy has not been listening to her or the people she represents.

Alex Pretti

An ICU nurse who was fatally shot in Minneapolis, which Maloy addressed during the town hall.

Doug LaMalfa

A California GOP Representative who previously chaired the Congressional Western Caucus, and who asked Maloy to be his vice chair.

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What they’re saying

“To stop all the chaos, you have to start at the top. The top has to flow that message down.”

— Ken Bouvier, Town hall attendee (fox13now.com)

“I'm going to disagree with part of the premise of your question. I don't think it has to start at the top. Let me ask you this. How much control do you think I have over what any president from my party or another says?”

— Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (fox13now.com)

“I'm also upset about what's happening in Minnesota. My general baseline of what government should do is not kill its own citizens. And so we've got to do an investigation. We've got to get to the bottom of what's happening there.”

— Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (fox13now.com)

“I always remind my staff, like, calm and nerdy. That's our brand. We're calm. We're nerdy. Give people good information. We don't flop in.”

— Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (fox13now.com)

“The country is ready for you to take control. For you to say, I'm in Congress, damn it. Listen to me. I told you you have to spend this. You didn't spend it. That's not okay with me. And we'll follow you. We'll support you. We will give you money for campaigning. We'll make you the next senator.”

— Constituent (fox13now.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This town hall highlights the challenges facing lawmakers like Congresswoman Maloy in navigating partisan divides and addressing constituent concerns, especially during a time of heightened national tensions. Her efforts to maintain a "calm and nerdy" approach and provide good information to her diverse district suggest an attempt to bridge those divides, even as some attendees push for more forceful action.