Convict Trump
Sens: Mike Crapo and Jim Risch:
As a registered Republican, I did not vote for Donald Trump for a second term as president. After four years, I realized he is a chronic liar, an extreme narcissist and a total racist. He has lied about everything he has told the American people.
He is never wrong, never will admit to mistakes and thinks only about himself. He will not denounce white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan and other extreme radical groups. Anyone who disagrees with him is either discredited or fired.
There is no doubt that Trump was behind the destructive insurrection on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol.
He called for a Trump rally in Washington, D.C., the very time and a short distance from lawmakers doing their constitutional duties. It was clear he gave instructions to his followers to go to the Capitol, still maintaining the unfounded idea that the election was rigged.
It is absurd to stand behind the excuse that he is out of office or a waste of time. If he is not found guilty, he and his followers will be back to destroy our Republican Party and the democracy we stand for.
You took an oath to solemnly swear “to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Now is the time to show you have true colors: Find Trump guilty.
If not, then you are a Trump supporter and we must vote you out.
David Purtee
Moscow
The stench of Trump
Washington Post columnist Colbert King stated on Feb. 8: “Any senator who ducks, hedges and dances around the truth of (former President Donald) Trump’s lawlessness and shameful misconduct is unworthy of the honor bestowed upon them by American voters.”
Strong words, indeed.
I propose a few questions for our Idaho senators:
Are you a hypocrite? Would you be acting this way if it were a Democratic or independent president or administration? (We all know that answer.)
Do you believe in accountability — for everyone?
Are you a traitor to the Constitution that you swore to uphold?
Do you believe in the rule of law?
Do you believe firsthand information or alternative facts?
Are you capable of independent thought?
Do you care about anyone except yourself or your pocketbook?
Do you have a shred of a moral and ethical core?
I’m hoping for extended public hearings and detailed testimony from rioters. Then those who vote to acquit are giving you the clearest possible signal that their word, given during their oath of office, is worthless.
If our senators vote to acquit, let us make sure Idaho Republicans never get the Trump stink off themselves.
John Fellman
Moscow
Guilty by association
... Donald J. Trump, a citizen who in his previous presidential role knowingly encouraged and incited insurrection and sedition in front of a crowd on Jan. 6, is on trial.
All of us watched the whole thing. During a period of 77 days before that, he promoted and repeated a stolen election lie. He pushed that idea with every means available to him as president until he convinced millions of Americans that the lie was the truth.
I suggest that this man actually broadcast his own intentions to steal the election himself by creating the lie that it was stolen from him and therefore he was justified in his own intentions to steal it back. ...
This impeachment is not just a petty political retaliation. It isn’t about the Republican Party, Republican policies or election fraud. This is about sedition by a man who lied to his own supporters and took their money to support the lie. It’s about a man with no compunctions about twisting law for his own self aggrandizement and lust for power, a president who incited insurrection and, when it occurred, sat there watching it, doing nothing, saying nothing to stop it until long after it was all over. It was a pre-planned coup that came dangerously close to causing the assassination of the vice president. ...
If Republicans on Capitol Hill refuse to acknowledge this man’s sedition, they will be guilty by association and guilty of political cowardice and should be fired.
A.J. Barnett
Lenore
Congress must act
Let’s not move past the actions of our former president and scold the Democrats for “dividing the country by pursuing impeachment.”
This reminds me of personnel actions where a manager gets blamed for firing an employee. The manager doesn’t want to have to fire this cashier who stole money. After all, the cashier has a family to feed.
However, the manager can’t ignore the cashier’s theft, so the manager is forced to hold the cashier accountable. The manager doesn’t want to be in that position and didn’t ask to be the bad guy. But because he is the manager, he has to respond. The manager needs to send the message to the other cashiers that stealing is wrong. Otherwise, it becomes an acceptable practice.
Likewise, the act of inciting an insurrection cannot be ignored by Congress. The person responsible needs to be held accountable by all members of Congress.
This calling to account is not what is dividing the country. Rather, it was the initial act of incitement that divided the country.
Critics can’t ignore that act and point at Democrats for responding. Letting such an act go would send the message that inciting an insurrection is acceptable conduct.
It is not. And neither is theft. People in charge have to respond to bad acts.
Julie Kane
Lapwai
