As Senator Cory Gardner began answering questions at a chamber luncheon, he was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of mariachi music filling the room.
Gardner, a Republican senator from Colorado, is one of several lawmakers who has come under fire for refusing to schedule a public forum with constituents. That’s exactly why the band and dozens of other protesters were at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort on Wednesday.
The private luncheon was a small gathering where only members of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce were given a chance to meet with Gardner and ask questions, an opportunity that many constituents have wanted for months.
The six-piece mariachi band paid the $250 fee to join the Chamber of Commerce so they could attend.
When Gardner started answering questions, the band began its serenade with, “Donde Estas Corazon,” a song meaning “where is my heart?”
The musicians were not only representing the Latino community in Gardner’s district, but the group Americans for Conservation of the Arts as well.
After dodging public forum requests for months, interrupting Gardner during the meeting seemed like the best way to get his attention, the group told CNN affiliate KRDO.
Though protesters continue to ask for a public forum, Gardner has hosted live telephone town halls to update constituents on the work he is doing, and to discuss issues affecting Colorado.