Your Opinion: Luetkemeyer's sad Trump defense

Tony Smith

Jefferson City

Dear Editor:

Evidence that Trump abused his authority over foreign policy for domestic political gain is so evident that defenders have given up anything even resembling a substantive defense. Republicans bounce from one bad idea to another.

Blaine Luetkemeyer's sad Trump defense is the same sorry excuses that Clinton defenders used in 1998. Do not deal with facts. Too bad Blaine Luetkemeyer, because Trump admits to his crimes. He boasted he would shake down foreign governments for dirt on opponents. He did that to Ukraine by withholding military aid. Trump sneers at America. He asks what are you going to do about it? The evidence is clear and overwhelming.

Blaine Luetkemeyer treats us as fools. He says he tried to get into a closed hearing of which he was not a member. Other Republicans were in the room. They had equal time to ask questions. All current House rules were written by Republicans during their many Benghazi hearings. Privacy is to prevent collusion between witnesses.

Now House hearings are going public. More moaning and crying from Republicans. First the hearings were private and that was bad. Now they will be public and that is also bad. It's bad because there is no evidence to protect Donald Trump who freely admits his crime. What to do?

Luetkemeyer whines Democrats wanted to impeach Trump from day one. Absurd. Yes, even before assuming office Trump was committing crimes. Yet, for two years Republicans held both the House and Senate. Democrats just wanted to gain as many seats as possible. They did not run on impeachment but, did very well in 2018.

Trump has used surrogates to bribe a foreign government to manufacture dirt on a domestic rival. He admits this. That is illegal and an abuse of power. The president demands his staff not cooperate with a lawful congressional investigation. That is obstruction of justice.

Blaine Luetkemeyer is safe in his gerrymandered district. He has decided that a criminal president who spits on our Constitution is his man. The impeachment process will show the intent of other Republicans. Will they allow Trump to be above the law just to save their seats in Congress?

Lincoln defined the American experiment as a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" Donald Trump is none of this. 2020 will define America.