To the Editor:
Ms. McLeod is right about one thing: public pressure around the Epstein files did not come out of nowhere. For years, this was a big issue for MAGA — remember “Pizzagate.” Donald Trump himself said repeatedly that his administration would pursue full disclosure. It was a campaign promise.
Once in office, somehow, for the administration, the issue faded away. Key records remain sealed. Requests for broader document releases stall. Officials who could push disclosure did not. Despite his supporters’ loud and insistent demands. Crickets.
Recently, the issue re-emerged in a rare bipartisan effort. Representatives Thomas Massie (R) and Ro Khanna (D) jointly supported measures aimed at forcing greater transparency around Epstein-related records. The more revealed, the more Democrats came onboard. Eventually the House and the Senate joined.
Trump signed the bill to release the documents because it was veto proof. Clearly, his heart wasn’t in it. Instead of following the law he signed, perpetrators names were redacted while victims were exposed. This renewed scrutiny has revealed concerning financial connections and institutional failures have surfaced, and the story grows larger.
Move on, Trump has repeatedly declared, which has only reinforced public distrust. Most people seem to agree: Accountability must apply consistently, whether the people involved are Republicans, Democrats, donors, officials, or elites of any stripe.
We have not heard the last of this. No matter how badly Trump wants it to end. When someone fights this hard to keep something hidden, there’s a reason.
Today, a report that at least 53 pages of Trump-related documents have been withheld. The beat goes on. What new distractions can he pull out of his hat?
Pat Collins,
Fillmore, Ca.
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To the Editor:
Knowing it was a lie, but telling our citizens the attack on our Consulate in Benghazi was a result of “a video” wasn’t enough to discredit Obama’s mouthpiece, Susan Rice. Today she is threatening retaliation to anyone who cooperated with the present administration. Rice stated, “.....it’s not going to end well...when (Democrats) come back in power... (playing) by the old rules....they’ve got another thing coming...This is not going to be an instance of forgive and forget” These threats were just hours from another assignation attempt on President Trump at his home Mar-a-:Lago.
With hate for our country, too many suffer from a ‘self fulfilling prophecy’. Convinced they see it everywhere (racism, xenophobia, faschim, oppression, etc.) they hear it constantly, feel it continuously, so they tell themselves it exists and is true. They believe the impossible and some to the point that the ‘other’ must be killed. TDS is real and encouraged by the left with a constant cry of “Hate Trump”. Is anyone held accountable for their actions or held responsible for their failures? Riots, assassinations, crime! Simply ignoring it or playing the victim seems to pass for justice.
Results matter much more than intent or feelings. It seems the Marxist are more comfortable with the ‘enemy of my enemy is my friend’ attitude than respect for our own citizens and culture. They weakened the laws that a civil society needs and respects, while giving the criminal more consideration than the victims. Is the goal anarchy and a take down of this country? The cost of the failures, corruption and fraud is a debt now said to be unsustainable.
Marxist prefer the drug cartel culture of ‘it’s who you know, not what you know’. Today due to four years of an open border the cartels run more than Mexico, there are thousands of transnational gangs and narco terrorists with sleeper cells already here that will kill anyone who gets in their way.
The one person who stood up and told us the truth, our President, is vilified for exposing what these useful idiots created. Like the little boy who stated, “The Emperor has no clothes” President Trump told the truth and they hate him for it. I don’t care how big his ego is, or how much he boasts. I care about results and President Trump, more than any president in my lifetime, has done more to fix what has been broken for years. Our southern border is closed, thousands of children given a life of servitude with the cartels have been rescued, drug boats destroyed, just to name a few of DJT’s successes. Results matter!!!
Jean McLeod,
Fillmore, Ca.
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To the Editor:
Trump’s insistence that he can initiate any tariff by invoking “national emergency powers” has been explicitly denied by SCOTUS. Last Friday, in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, SCOTUS struck down most of Trump’s tariffs imposed in a series of executive orders that relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Other tariff imposition options remain, but they require Congressional cooperation, and Authoritarians don’t ask anyone for “no stinkin’ approvals.”
By a vote of 6-3, in a decision written by CJ Roberts, SCOTUS ruled on three major issues: (1) that a tariff is indeed a tax on the consumer, (2) that the power of taxation resides in Congress, “The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” and (3) that Trump “exceeded the powers given to the president” by Congress under a 1977 law giving him authority to regulate commerce during national emergencies created by foreign threats. In other words, his claim of imminent economic threat from a foreign power was unsupported by the facts and were illegal.
Dissents included the worried observation that the world is now confronted with uncertainty about trade agreements, and what to do with an illegally obtained $290 billion tariff fund, an issue SCOTUS did not resolve because it is a (self-inflicted) legislative problem. All Trump needed to do was get prior approval from Congress. But that’s the point. Trump and his condescending money guys, Ludnik and Bessant, were so arrogant or ignorant, they reflected Trump’s reply to a reporter who asked why he didn’t just “work with Congress.” “Because I don’t have to,” he said. The Constitution says he does. And that’s the point. Trump wants to operate with impunity, without consultation with any other co-equal branch of government.
Angry Ol’ Paw-Paw’s response was typical “cue the rage.” Beyond accusing the SCOTUS majority as “unpatriotic,” and “fools and lapdogs,” he declared his remarkable opinion, “that the Court has been swayed by foreign interests.” Then, “I understand the Court…how they are very easily swayed.” Ignoring his repeated public warnings to SCOTUS to rule in his favor, he faux-sniveled, “I want[ed] to be a good boy.”
Republicans defensively pouted that the Republican Congress could just “back up” the president with legislation and foil SCOTUS, something they should have done when Trump had his initial tariff tantrums. Trump claimed that he used the IEEPA because, “I thought I’d make things simple, but they didn’t let us do that.” Trump must think “gullible” is a national disease, not just a Republican Congressional affliction.
An even more momentous matter has arisen. For weeks, Trump has toyed with attacking Iran. In July, he claimed that he had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear power in a massive attack, now his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, says that Iran is “days away” from obtaining full nuclear power. General Dan Kaine, Chair of the Joint Chiefs, is warning that the objective is undecided (regime change v. further military site hits), though there is already a massive US buidup in the area, what nuclear potential threat really exists, and no “Plan B” once the attack occurs. He is concerned that we face a potential major conflict without assurance that the Allies will be eager to support us after Trump’s NATO and UN insults and threats.
Why would Trump risk war and further instability in an already volatile part of the world with contradictory statements of justification? This “peace president” has something to gain from all this. Distraction from the growing world Epstein outrage? Pressure from Congress to release all the DOJ retained and heavily redacted Epstein documents?
Since he has publicly abandoned “peace as a primary interest,” does the idea of being a “wartime president” during a midterm election (just in case the Republican Congressional voter suppression plan [SAVE] doesn’t work as planned?) motivate Trump?
We are in the hands of a man whose only interest is his own survival, wealth, and power. He has said that his “limits are his “own morality. It’s all that can stop me.” This gives you confidence that Trump is “manning the guns,” Martin?
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.