Readers React: The Mueller investigation didn’t divide the country; Trump did

To the editor: Republican advisor Scott Jennings assumes that the only thing about Donald Trump’s presidency that has been dividing this country is Justice Department special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation.

As for the ways President Trump has divided this country, do I really need to list them?

Let’s start with the withdrawal from the Paris climate accord. Then there are his efforts to roll back environmental regulations, his approbation of dictators, his continued dishonorable snipes at the late Sen. John McCain, his derogatory remarks about women, his demonizing of immigrants, his demonizing of Muslims, and his ho-hum responses to the actions of white nationalists. I could go on.

My disgust for Trump did not begin with the Mueller probe, nor does it end there. I think that millions of Americans who are disgusted with Trump would agree.

Catherine Crook, Camarillo

..

To the editor: The deflating fizzle of the Mueller report could be a gift to Democrats, if they’re smart enough to accept it. Now, instead of pursuing impeachment pipe dreams, they can turn a hard focus on real issues relevant to ordinary Americans.

Trump’s Republican Party stands for tax cuts for the wealthy, reducing access to healthcare, gutting environmental protections and abandoning traditional U.S. allies while cozying up to dictators.

If Democrats can unify the public around these issues, they win in 2020. If they continue to let Trump distract and divide, they lose.

Jon Goetze, Pearblossom, Calif.

..

To the editor: What a lot of claptrap from Jennings. Did someone whose behavior prior to the election alarmed U.S. intelligence agencies truly deserve the benefit of the doubt?

Trump, not the Democrats, made the issue of collusion central to his presidency through his suspect behavior.

No doubt President Obama could have done more to alert us about Russian interference. But how interesting that Jennings fails to mention Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) role in watering down the statement that was issued by the federal government or the Republicans’ refusal to fund election security measures.

Why didn’t Trump immediately impanel a team to address foreign election interference? The only “mess” is of Trump’s making.

Jennifer Pinkerton, Glendale

..

To the editor: I have to disagree with Jennings. Surely Trump must take some of the blame for the mess we went through these last two years.

The president could have saved himself and the country a lot of stress if he had done several “normal” things, like showing his federal income tax returns. Or not meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in private and not telling anybody what was said. Or not inviting Putin to the White House. Or not believing Putin over our own intelligence agencies that said Russia did in fact meddle in our election.

Of course, any Democrat or journalist is going to wonder what Trump was up to by acting so friendly with the Russian president. In my view, he can share in the blame.

Suzanne Wojcik, Claremont

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook