Voter Probe Scrutinized

* The Democrats’ rejection of the GOP plan to ask California Secretary of State Bill Jones to review Immigration and Naturalization Service data in the illegal voting issue was predictable (“GOP Members of Voter Probe Offer to Defer to State Official,” Oct. 23).

Democratic House Leader Richard A. Gephardt’s efforts to summarily and prematurely dismiss the voter-fraud investigation of the 46th District approximates fraud itself. His and the other Democrats’ “vow to disrupt House proceedings” or to close down the House reeks of crybaby emotion and denial of a problem.

For Gephardt and his gang to “dismiss” this investigation without having used reasonable efforts to get to the bottom of the voter fraud issue appears to be an abdication of congressional responsibility to get the facts.

For example, Democratic support in forcing timely response by those who have repeatedly evaded subpoenas (Hermandad Mexicana Nacional for one) would have gone a long way to speed up and politically legitimize the process.

Recently, C-SPAN covered passage of a House vote to force Hermandad to comply with subpoenas. The most vocal of C-SPAN’s requests for call-in responses came from Democratic constituents who were nearly unanimous in criticizing the rhetoric of the House Democrats.

The callers repeatedly stated that they were ashamed of their leaders for ignoring the hard facts that illegal voting had taken place. This is another case which emphasizes the shameless denial and distortion by congressional Democrats, following the tone set by the Clinton administration in their problems in fund raising, Filegate, Travelgate, Whitewater, etc.

BOB BALL

Anaheim

* Re Dana Parsons’ Oct. 26 column, “GOP Doesn’t Need Opposition to Lose This Battle for Votes”:

Parsons is right on in his assessment of the GOP’s continuing estrangement of Latino voters here in Orange County by their sweeping, overeager attacks on all local Latino voters.

One wonders too whether the never-ending GOP hateful attacks on President Clinton won’t also blow up in their faces and put them out of power again. Surely the voting public is not blind to hypocrisy in complaining about Clinton raising campaign funds the good old-fashioned (GOP) way, yet outrightly refusing to enact any curbs on such campaign financing.

It will be interesting to see what the voters say about this blatant GOP dishonesty in the next election.

JAMES R. GALLAGHER

Huntington Beach

* As time goes on, it is becoming even more clear that the real victims of last November’s 46th Congressional District race were neither Robert K. Dornan nor the individual selected to be the new congressional employee of the 46th, Loretta Sanchez, but instead are us, the employers at the ballot box who exercised their civic responsibility by voting in this election.

We’ve seen valued community organizations tried in the press and seemingly convicted without a single charge ever having been brought. So-called “evidence” is vaporous at best and changes daily.

There is the relentless assault on the credibility of local organizing individuals and civil rights groups: In the titanic clash to grab the tarnished brass ring, people we know have been cast as unscrupulous, extortionist and mendacious by people who certainly know better but find the lie politically convenient.

Congressional hearings should be used to obtain the public’s interest in finding the truth and justice; they are properly neither a forum to try local organizing individuals who threaten the political establishment nor a vanity case for political makeup artists to use in future campaigns.

I believe we must continue to focus attention on the plight of those who have the most to lose: we the people, and not be intimidated by any political campaign.

Less important than which political trafficker holds the seat is making our voices count and be heard. This can only occur if, at a local level, we rededicate ourselves and our efforts to promoting leadership from within; to stand together against outside assaults; and work together to ensure that our elected representatives keep their campaign promises to place the community’s interests and trust above their own.

ARTURO MONTEZ

Buena Park