KILDEER, IL-A group of 25 protesters from the Lake County Tea Party Patriots showed up to express their displeasure with Congresswoman Melissa Bean for limiting attendance at a health care town hall meeting sponsored by the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce.

Melissa Bean (D-IL-8th District), a three term incumbent, hosted this town hall just before Congress is scheduled to return to session after Labor Day.  However, with Bean limiting the event to chamber members and charging $25 per member to attend the event has caught the displeasure of some very disgruntled constituents of Illinois 8th District who shown up to protest.

The 25 protesters who were at the event told Health Care Horse Race that Congresswoman Bean is only playing to special interests including the labor unions and not listening to constituents who have concerns over the proposed health care reform.  The Lake County Tea Party patriots outnumbered the only 13 protesters representing unions like the SEIU, who came with pre-made signs.  Members of the Lake County Tea Party Patriots also told that security officers told opponents who protested the health care plan to move their cars out of the parking lot where the town hall happened while allowing supporters of health care to park in that very lot.

Congresswoman Bean has refused to hold listening sessions in the 8th district as no records on her website shown a schedule of listening sessions.  Bean, like Senators Dick Durbin and Roland Burris have come under fire for not holding listening sessions.  Bean is considered a very vulnerable Congresswoman according to news sources like the Politico in next year’s elections as her district is considered a Republican leaning district.