Ridge Should Testify

The debate on whether Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge should testify before Congress has been unnecessary and taken too far into the realm of partisan political games (“Ridge’s Refusal to Testify Irks Lawmakers,” March 16).

Ridge’s refusal to testify, with the support of President Bush under the assertion of an executive “prerogative,” has no foundation in our democracy. The bottom line of this debate is that our government works for the people, not for Bush and Ridge. Congress not only has the right to question all government officials, it has a duty to the American people to question them--especially a Cabinet-level official who will be in charge of a $38-billion budget.

Mazi Bahadori

Mission Viejo