Newhouse gets sharp questions on Epstein, Medicaid, ag labor at Tri-Cities lunch
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- Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, faced protests in Pasco outside a chamber of commerce lunch.
- Newhouse defended Medicaid reforms and Trump's major legislative package.
- Indivisible Tri-Cities criticized the congressman's limited public accessibility.
U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse didn’t receive the warmest of welcomes when he returned Wednesday to the Tri-Cities for a lunchtime speaking engagement.
Outside the Pasco Red Lion Hotel, about 50 protesters weathered rain to greet the Sunnyside Republican with contemptuous signs of disapproval.
They shouted “shame” from the sidewalks as Newhouse entered the building to give a legislative update to the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and its more than 300 members — likely his largest in-person engagement since his office faced threats earlier this year.
“You probably didn’t realize I had such a large fan club, did you?,” Newhouse said to a response of chuckles.
“To see the folks outside and the friends we have in the room here just reminds me how great of a country we live in, actually. That we feel free to express our opinions — that’s what makes our country great,” he continued.
Later on, during a prepared Q&A segment, one woman shouted aloud, “Do you support the release of the Epstein files?”
After he affirmed his support for releasing files about the disgraced socialite on the condition of protection for the innocent, the woman chimed in again: “We want to know if our president is a pedophile.”
“We’re going to get to the bottom of everything, I’m sure,” Newhouse replied.
The midday engagement underscored the intense and heated political climate that has taken ahold of the country since President Donald Trump returned to office earlier this year for a second term.
Even as representative of Washington state’s most conservative congressional district, Newhouse has faced tough criticism from his constituents over Trump’s unilateral actions and for passing a bill that includes some of the largest cuts to Medicaid in recent history.
Earlier this summer, Newhouse held a telephone town hall that attracted more than 18,700 listeners, some of whom challenged his claims. He defended Trump’s marquee legislative packaged, the One Big Beautiful Bill, as imperfect but said the negative social and economic repercussions “just aren’t true.”
He also called on listeners to “lower the collective temperature” of American politics. This came after a Western Washington man was accused of making a spree of threats on his life and the lives of his staffers.
‘He needs to show up’
Indivisible Tri-Cities, a local chapter of a national organization leading liberal-leaning resistance, organized protesters to greet Newhouse at his Pasco engagement.
Loren Malone, co-founder of Indivisible Tri-Cities, scrutinized the congressman’s accessibility. She says she shouldn’t have to pay $46 — the price of admissions to the chamber events — to ask her representative questions.
“He needs to show up. There are massive changes happening to us — personally, as a community — and he’s hiding behind a paywall and not giving us true answers,” she said.
Since their formation six months ago, the local group has personally invited Newhouse to at least a half-dozen events.
Security for Wednesday’s luncheon was a bit tighter than the average Tri-City chamber event. Police cars were parked outside of the entrance, and a pair of officers flanked the ballroom near TV news cameras.
One truck outfitted with anti-Trump and anti-Project 2025 displays was asked by Red Lion management through the police to move from their parking lot across the street to Columbia Basin College. Pasco Police Lt. Matthew Decker said protesters were “peaceful and remained on public property.”
‘Longtime friend and leader’
Newhouse dined at a table alongside local state Rep. Stephanie Barnard, R-Kennewick, and Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg, as well as leaders from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) and the chamber.
Jaime Shimek, executive director of PNNL communications and engagement, introduced Newhouse as a “longtime friend and leader” for Central Washington and as a champion for funding for PNNL, Hanford cleanup and the agriculture industry.
Newhouse walked up to Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams” over the speakers. During his speech, the Sunnyside Republican touched on investments for a new Tri-Cities VA clinic, tariffs and trade, protecting the Lower Snake River dams, agriculture labor troubles and border security, and the “whiplash” of working through the second Trump term.
“A lot of good things are happening in our country, and a lot of things are happening that, I think, are working toward the betterment of our country and on into the future,” he said.
He said border crossings have “come to a standstill,” and the hops farmer also believes the best chance to pass substantive visa reform for migrant farm workers will happen under the Trump Administration.
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, Newhouse highlighted, will help small businesses grow and hire more people, extend tax cuts to most Americans, make investments in the agriculture industry and secure nuclear energy tax credits.
“That’s going to allow our area to truly emerge as one of the leading points for the nuclear industry for the entire nation,” he said.
“Not only will we have one of the first small modular reactors in the country, I’m confident of that, but we will be a center for the technology, construction — all of the things that have to happen so other parts of the country can benefit from this new nuclear energy that we so desperately need,” he said.
Newhouse again touched on Medicaid and reiterated that the reforms were necessary to ensure its solvency. Out of 219 House GOP members, Central Washington is home to the fifth largest number of recipients on the state-federal plan, he said. About 40% of his constituents use it.
While most people “don’t like change,” Newhouse says the new requirements for hours of work, volunteer or schooling to receive services will put some pride back into the program.
“That kind of encouragement, I think, will be positive,” he said. “People in this country, we respect and revere the work ethic. We want to encourage people to be productive — we need them to be productive in our communities instead of being reliant on the government.”
“People are saying we’re going to be throwing people off the program. That is not true,” Newhouse argued.
Congress returns on Tuesday, Sept. 2. It will be up against the clock to avert a government shutdown and is likely to debate a continuing resolution to fund the government before the end of fiscal year on Sept. 30.
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
