Dornan’s Cronies Ride to Town

* In 1775, Paul Revere rode through the Massachusetts countryside, yelling, “The British are coming” to alarm the citizenry that a few more of their inalienable rights were about to be sapped by a faraway power thinking little of the derogation of their freedoms.

I shout, “The Congressmen are coming!” Three members of a subcommittee of the House (from outside California) tell 50,000 voters in the 46th District in California that their votes meant nothing, and that “they” have the ultimate power to disregard the victory by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) over Robert K. Dornan in that battle.

In 1994, Sam Gejdenson won a Connecticut seat by four votes. His opponent threw out examples of more than 100 votes that could have been cast in error, and the House ignored the challenge, knowing that Connecticut’s GOP secretary of state had fairly certified the winner.

Now, however, Dornan has convinced Gingrich and Co. to weaken Sanchez and 50,000 votes by Latinos, whites and others by using the federal investigation power with no more than 300 votes in question.

I call upon all who would ride Revere’s horse to stand tall, as our forefathers did in Lexington and Concord, and loudly object to the intrusion of the Redcoat “Congressmen” and their shocking attempt to steal freedoms we have won.

CORA B. TAYLOR

Irvine

* Six months after Robert K. Dornan lost the 46th Congressional District election to Loretta Sanchez, he finally has convinced a subcommittee, a junta, of the House of Representatives, composed of one moderate Democrat and two GOP right-wingers from Michigan and Ohio to come to Orange County and do what he has done so well: waste the taxpayers’ money and reduce the power that Latinos and others finally exercised at the ballot box.

Dornan has provided special examples of hypocrisy: supporting term limits while asking for a 10th term, happily suing opponents while supporting tort reform, globe-trotting on useless taxpayer-financed junkets while bashing welfare mothers, and living in a Virginia mansion while representing the dangerous streets of Santa Ana.

Sanchez won the election because she finally woke up voters in the 46th that had felt disenfranchised because of Dornan’s complete lack of representation. It is ironic that in 18 years, Dornan sponsored one bill in Congress (i.e., Disneyland Day), but now has suddenly learned how to have Gingrich and others waste our money in this investigation.

I am outraged that millions have been spent by local, state and federal officials (and parties who have to respond to his federal court subpoenas) to investigate claims that Sanchez was unfairly victorious, and that Hermandad Mexicana Nacional registered a few illegal voters. Compare Hermandad’s 300 voters with the improper support the Christian Coalition and the NRA provided to Dornan by distributing thousands of grossly misleading voter guides just before the election.

Dornan lost because he has ineffectively represented his district, and voters grew tired of his hypocrisy. Any supporter of the 10th Amendment, and any mainstream Latino voter, should be outraged at the antics employed by Dornan to waste our money trying in vain to reclaim his seat.

FREDERICK JUDD

Irvine

* I have followed the elections of 1996 and subsequent fallout with great interest over the last six months. I have to say that I am truly outraged by Robert K. Dornan’s continual challenge of Loretta Sanchez’s victory and its reflection on the residents of Orange County.

I think we all can agree that illegal voting is unacceptable and that there is little doubt that it occurred to some degree in the last election. However, based on the media reports of Dornan’s investigation, there can be no doubt that it came anywhere close to affecting the outcome of the race. The continued investigation of his legal staff against the numerous organizations involved with the education of legal immigrants is at the least harassment, if not outright intimidation.

I am sure that he will get his day in court to press his case as to how the election was “stolen” from him--the Republican majority will see to that. I for one hope that he has the opportunity to force a new election. It will give the voters of his district another chance.

I am quite confident that given his shameful public display of the last six months, the embarrassment he suffered as a presidential candidate will seem mild by comparison.

RICHARD PLAVETICH

Laguna Beach