About a hundred protesters rallied outside of a McDonald’s in San Marcos Thursday, hoping to get the attention of Rep. Darrell Issa, R-48.
He was expected to be serving “freedom fries” from noon until 1 p.m. But the restaurant’s owner, Brenda Schmid, and a franchise executive present at the restaurant, told KPBS' reporting team that Issa had canceled his planned appearance at the McDonald's on San Marcos Boulevard.
That executive gave the same message to a customer who identified himself as an Issa supporter.
A KPBS video journalist was not allowed inside the building, but instead was directed to the street where the protest was underway.
The protesters said it's been over 2,000 days since Issa has held a town hall. They were concerned about a range of issues, from Social Security and DOGE data breaches to Medicaid coverage.
Medicaid was a particular concern to Kris Kacirek, who works with children and adults with disabilities at the Arc of San Diego.
"We get funding through Medicaid, through a Medicaid waiver. And if we lose that, programs can close," she said.
The protesters included some of Kacirek's clients. "These guys don't have places to go to go out in the community with staff that can help them learn how to be safe in the community and just be a normal person, like they are, just like us. They're all the same," she said.
Kacirek said was looking forward to asking Issa some questions, "Oh yeah I wanted to talk to him. But like our signs says, he's a chicken. He did not show up ... What was your excuse for canceling coming here and why is it you can't support the people of San Diego? Give us an answer."
Response from Issa spokesperson
KPBS received an answer Thursday night, in an email from Issa spokesperson Jonathan Wilcox. It included pictures of Issa working the drive-through and standing inside the McDonald's next to franchise owner Schmid.
In the email Wilcox said, “Looks like you missed all the action. Shame about the Democrats trying to ruin everything but not getting the chance to harass people trying to get something to eat."
Neither Wilcox, nor managers of the McDonald's, confirmed the time the images were taken or when Issa was there. The KPBS reporting team was at the restaurant from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and did not see him.
KPBS made multiple requests for interviews with Issa, and so far has not heard back.
