Last week Rep. Chuck Edwards visited A-B Tech to hold a town hall meeting. Veteran Jay Carey was in attendance until he was escorted out by police at Edwards’s request. He sat down with K.P. Whaley for this week’s AFM News Hour to introduce himself, have his voice heard, and let the community know how he plans to respond.
Carey stood up during the town hall to voice his displeasure at DOGE’s attacks on veterans and veteran support. Rep. Edwards had police remove Carey from the meeting, unwilling to hear the remarks. “He violated my First Amendment rights,” Carey said, “something I have fought for in multiple wars, as many other veterans have.” People have said that Carey was being disrespectful, to which his response was, “[Rep. Edwards] doesn’t respect us.”
When asked to let the listeners in on who Jay Carey is, he replied with pride that he is a husband and father of four boys. His family has lived in WNC for six years and he has been an active Democrat in the community, running for Congress in 2022. He is a retired, disabled army combat vet of over 20 years. He served in Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia. He is a Bronze Star recipient. He and his family lost about 90% of their personal effects in Hurricane Helene, including their home. Fortunate to have no injuries, even to the family pets, he says they are “happy to be here,” and that the community helped them get back on their feet.
Carey says that he has never been one to sit back while someone lies to his face, which is exactly what he says Rep. Edwards was doing to the community at the town hall. He had heard enough lies, so he stood up to let that be known. He expressed the value of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, how they are so much more than a hospital. They offer social programs and programs for housing, mental health, and wellness. These are programs getting cut, while Rep. Edwards insists that the VA will still be operational because they will have doctors and nurses. Carey describes the government efforts as “cutting what [they] think is the fat.” He says that the VA is being crippled.
When escorted from the town hall, the 300 in attendance watched as Carey was forcibly silenced. The almost 3,000 people outside the event who were live streaming it and saw the events unfold cheered and applauded as Carey emerged from the building.
Carey states that despite being urged from community members, he won’t run again for office. He will use his platform to advocate for veterans, forming a non-profit organization called Resist and Persist. He will not stand idly by as he watches our country be run into the ground. He’d like all listeners and all citizens, regardless of political identity, to “have those uncomfortable conversations with your elected officials, even if they’re one-sided. Hold them accountable every single day.”
Listen to the interview below and in the archives.
Audio Player