Letters to the Editor: American voters, would you hire someone facing 91 criminal charges?
To the editor: Former President Trump’s response to his first criminal indictment in April was, “I never thought anything like this could happen in America.” (“Fulton County grand jury indicts Trump, Giuliani, other associates in 2020 election investigation,” Aug. 14)
No joke, Sherlock.
This is what never should have happened in America: a president who swore to protect and defend the Constitution seeking to tear apart the very democracy that document created.
Now the subject of four indictments, the latest in Georgia, Trump is accused of trying to overturn the results of a fair and legitimate election by perpetuating the big lie that he had won in 2020, even though former aides have said he privately admitted he had lost. This led to his supporters attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to block the peaceful transfer of power.
Trump’s actions constituted an effort to deny the rights of millions of Americans to have their votes counted and were an affront to the principles of our precious democracy, a disgrace to our country and an embarrassment to the world.
The ex-president is right: This should never have happened in America.
Lucy K. Ford, Ojai
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To the editor: The pro-Trump side would suggest that the ex-president and his merry band were merely exercising free speech and expressing an honest concern about election integrity.
Right. And President Biden was clueless about his son’s efforts to squeeze money from the Biden name. Both do not smell right.
Quite simply, Trump, from November 2020 on, was obsessed with changing the election results. Fortunately, the conspiracy failed, but not from a lack of effort.
William N. Hoke, Manhattan Beach
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To the editor: Although I am doing my happy dance, the fact that a unanimous verdict is required to convict Trump slows me down.
Seating 12 people will be hard. Between those intimidated by a former president and those who will convincingly lie about remaining impartial, this will be a Herculean effort.
Recall that Trump once said, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.” Now, delete “voters” and insert “jurors.” All he needs is one.
Melissa Verdugo, Rancho Palos Verdes
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To the editor: I ask Republicans who support Trump no matter what, would you hire someone for your business facing 91 criminal charges across four cases? That is exactly what Trump is asking American voters to do.
Trump and his allies didn’t care about you or how you voted in 2020. They were determined to stay in power no matter what it took.
It’s been difficult and risky for the prosecutors who have charged Trump, but if we are a country of laws, even the most powerful must be held to account.
Mark McIntyre, Los Angeles
