Readers React: Praise Putin and jail the asylum seekers: Trump has a warped approach to law enforcement

To the editor: Eleanor Roosevelt said, “One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes.” With that in mind, let’s look at President Trump’s choices on law enforcement.

On July 13, 12 Russian intelligence officers were indicted in connection with multiple cyberattacks on American voters to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Trump never condemns the Russian government officials or their president.

In 2012, two Oregon ranchers were convicted of felony arson and sentenced to five years in prison under longstanding federal guidelines. After Trump pardoned them, these two men were flown home on a private jet belonging to a close friend of Vice President Mike Pence.

Parents fleeing violence in their home countries try to enter the country illegally or by requesting asylum at the border. The Trump administration takes their children away and ultimately loses track of some of them.

This reads like dystopian fiction, but sadly it is fact.

Robert Rees, Los Angeles

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To the editor: The indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers speaks volumes.

Paragraph 2 states that the defendants “conspired with each other and with persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury (collectively the ‘Conspirators’)” to interfere in the U.S. election. That carefully chosen language hints at two likely facts about this investigation.

First, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III presently knows the identity of intentionally unnamed others who conspired with the Russians, and second, those unidentified people are likely still under investigation. One likely scenario is that some of these people have been immunized from prosecution to gain their testimony or are in plea bargaining negotiations to gain their cooperation.

Additionally, the pregnant language suggests that the investigation is continuing to confirm the identities of others who may be conspirators and subject to later indictment. It would not be surprising if some yet to be named are Americans close to the White House.

Les Weinstein, Los Angeles

The writer is an attorney.

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To the editor: Russian tampering with our vote does not have to be inevitable. It would be a huge undertaking, but if election officials nationwide decided to use only paper ballots for the 2018 midterm and the 2020 presidential election, that part of the problem would be eliminated.

Unless the Russians were to somehow figure out a way to install corrupt poll workers, the counting of votes would be valid and voting machines would be extinct and not available for tampering. Problem solved — at least one part of it, anyway.

Kae Yates, Claremont

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To the editor: To date, Mueller’s investigation has resulted in 35 indictments and pleas, so obviously he is doing a splendid job.

Now, what was that about a “witch hunt,” Mr. President?

Jon Nelson, Panorama City

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