The Hill
December 21, 2009

By Jordan Fabian

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). is putting a high-tech spin on the quaint concept of a home district town hall meeting.

The senior Democrat is holding a meeting with his constituents on healthcare reform via Twitter.

On Monday starting at 1 p.m., Pallone, who is chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee, will take questions on the microblogging service.

"As the Chairman of the House subcommittee and one of the chief authors of the House reform bill, I want you all to stay engaged in this issue," he wrote in a blog post. "I want your input; your thoughts and ideas; your hopes and goals; even your criticisms. I hope you will join me."

The format is rare for townhall meetings. Most lawmakers hold them in person or conduct them over the telephone. Pallone, however, is a frequent Twitterer who often uses his campaign Twitter account to share his positions on legislation and support political candidates.

To participate, users can tweet a question in reply to Pallone's Twitter handle, @FrankPallone and conclude the message with thr hashtag #ttpallone. Hashtags desginate a topic on Twitter.

Users are also told to RSVP for the "event" on Pallone's campaign website.