Letters to the Editor March 16

Posted 3/16/17

A few questions for the Trump administration In any other administration, it would not seem unusual for a sitting Senator, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, to meet with the Russian …

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Letters to the Editor March 16

Posted

A few questions for the Trump administration

In any other administration, it would not seem unusual for a sitting Senator, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, to meet with the Russian ambassador. However, did Mr. Sessions meet with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak as a Senator or as a member of Mr. Trump’s campaign? And if not as part of the campaign, then why did Mr. Session’s campaign funds pay for his trip to meet Mr. Kislyak? And why did he lie about it when questioned during his confirmation hearings?

Why has Trump lied and said he doesn’t know any Russians? Why was Kislyak’s visit to the President-elect at Trump Towers conducted in secrecy? (Mr. Kislyak has been known by U.S. intelligence officers as one of Russia’s top spies and recruiter of spies.) Why did the Republican chairmen of both the House and Senate intelligence committees, at the request of the White House, call reporters to try to undermine a story about the contacts between Russians and Trump allies? If everything is above board, then why try to cover it up?

How did Paul Manafort, a man best known for his lobbying efforts on behalf of Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych, as well as dictators such as Ferdinand Marcos, Mobutu SeseSeko and guerrilla leader Jonas Savimbi, become campaign manager for Donald Trump? Manafort was among several high-level advisers to then-presidential nominee Donald Trump who were in regular communication with Russians known to U.S. intelligence during the campaign.

This is the same old story of political corruption: the cover-up may be worse than the actual event. But we don’t know, and there are way too many questions that remain unanswered

We need to get to the bottom of whatever the Trump Administration is protecting. There should be a special prosecutor assigned with a bipartisan committee to investigate all these—and more—questions.

Your representative, John Faso, has refused to hold public town halls with his constituents, so if you are concerned, call him and tell him so: 202/225-5614.

Kathy Aberman

Liberty, NY

We have enough of our own criminals

I believe in second chances and grace, but the U.S. does not need to bring in foreign criminals and terrorists and then protect them in sanctuary cities. We need to treat the U.S. as a family home. Do you let people sneak into your family home and let them beat up and rob your family and then take care of them?

The media keep giving us one-sided sob stories of scared women and children who may be deported, but leaves out the U.S. citizens who have become victims of crimes or terrorism by people who are here illegally.

It just seems crazy to me what is happening in regard to our laws and safety. We have a SAFE Act in NY State that criminalizes gun owners who are citizens, but New York City and some other New York State cities want to protect illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and even have a double standard for them.

We have enough of our own homegrown criminals and terrorists—we certainly don’t need borrow them from other countries. And this whole transgender bathroom thing is just nuts! Do you remember the New York City bathhouse and park bathroom problems back in the 1980s in the New York City area? If not, Google it!

God help us. Many of us truly have good and evil mixed up, which is a sign of the end times.

John JP Pasquale

Livingston Manor, NY

It’s all about power

What does Mr. Trump want in his heart of hearts? What motivates his actions?

Absolute power! Can you see it now? No criticism. No regulations. No judicial review. No complaints about his unwillingness to reveal his tax returns or to truly disconnect from his personal finances while he is in office. I want it my way. My way is best.

The Congress in its weakness and confusion allows him his way. Trump criticizes the judiciary, Muslims, and the press to set them up as fall guys to blame if and when a significant terrorist attack is directed at the U.S. at home or abroad. It potentially gives him more and more power with his insistence that he does these things to protect the American people. He creates confusion and uses it to gain power. 

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Let’s oppose Trump’s selfish ambitions in every way we can. And we can! Act on your own or in concert with like-minded people. There are many local groups that have emerged since the election to preserve decency, fairness, inclusion, kindness, truth, civil rights, human rights. End the complaining and push back hard now before the government gets completely out of hand. 

Tim Shera

Liberty, NY

Letter to Rep. Faso from a constituent

I am a long-time resident of the Hudson Valley and a current member of Indivisible CD19 NY. Although my party affiliation has varied over the years, I had high expectations for you as our representative. I am sorry to say that you have disappointed me.

I had hoped you would sit down with me and a small group of concerned citizens in Hudson to discuss issues that are troubling us, foremost among them being health care, civil rights, immigration and women’s reproductive rights. Our goal was to have a respectful meeting where we could tell you our concerns and speak to you about what we see as your nearly complete lockstep voting for Mr. Trump’s agenda, a voting record that ignores the fact that your district is very divided in its support for him and for you.

Scheduling this meeting should have been a simple matter. Indeed, your district director, Ryan McAllister, assured us that would be the case. However, weeks have passed, and despite dozens of phone calls and countless messages, we’ve heard nothing from you but excuses.

Mr. Faso, if you refuse to show up for us now, do not expect us to show up for you in 2018. We insist that you do your job and hear what your constituents have to say. How can you help us if you don’t?

I remain with the highest hopes and best regards,

Randall Martin

Hudson, NY

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