Letter to the Editor: The Truth Will Set Us Free

The biggest casualty in the impeachment hearings seems to be truth itself. Did Donald Trump try to bribe/extort the president of Ukraine? Did he hold back $400 million approved by Congress (the “quid”) for an investigation of the Bidens (the “quo”)? Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland, a Trump appointee who directly talked and listened to the president, said “Yes” under oath. This is the truth, but no Congressional Republican acknowledged it.

I have registered Republican on more than one occasion, but I do not recognize this Republican party. I supported the Republicans when they were the party of family values, but I do not see that today with the Trumpian policy of separating children from their parents at the border. I supported fiscal responsibility, but I do not see that today with a Republican tax cut that has promoted a trillion-dollar deficit last year and will do so for years to come. I supported the Republicans as the party of the rule of law, but no Republican Congressman stood up for those things when this president so clearly broke the law. I do not know this party.

I do know that when truth is ignored and twisted, bad things will happen; when Trump gets away with breaking the law because only Democrats stand up to this Pied Piper of mendacity, the rule of law is breached and the president is now above the law; when the chief executive is above the law, democracy has taken a step down the road to crowning a king.

For those of us who still support the rule of law, fiscal responsibility, family values and democracy, the battle of impeachment is probably lost, but the war in November can still be won. We need to take up these banners in this election and fight for their veracity. I believe with the secret-ballot vote in November, many who are in thrall with this president now will silently acknowledge the truth and vote with us to defeat him. As always, the truth will set us free.

Patrick Cerra

Egg Harbor, Wisconsin