Letters to the Editor: Can’t impeach him, can’t indict him — acquittal will fully unleash Trump

To the editor: If and when Republicans decide they don’t want witnesses in President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, a dark new chapter will have opened in America.

Republicans will demonstrate that winning is more important than protecting democracy. For Trump, winning has always been more important. The worst thing he can do is to call you a loser.

When the vote on witnesses is tallied, Republicans will have created an effective tool to protect Trump from anything he might do in the future. He’ll be able to shoot anyone on 5th Avenue and get away with it. You can’t charge a president with a crime while he’s in office, says the Department of Justice. Trump’s attorney Alan Dershowitz added you can’t impeach him if there’s any public good involved.

Who knows what Trump will do next when there is no election to impede him? Republicans are already too afraid of him.

Democrats will do the same when they’re in power — if they’re still around. After all, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is only a movie, and even the classics get old after a while.

Bill Callahan, Torrance

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To the editor: With the possibility of John Bolton testifying to the Senate, Trump and his allies have not only distanced themselves from the former national security advisor, they are also disparaging him in the process.

To the senators still weighing whether to allow testimony or convict the president, look closely at this moment. This is an example of what Trump thinks of you.

People have value to the president only if they do what we says. If they do otherwise, Trump will immediately degrade them publicly without a second thought.

So, will these senators continue to do what Trump says and be happy with the crumbs from his table, or will they stand up and protect the Constitution?

Michael Kranther, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Republicans should resist the temptation to summarily dismiss the House’s deficient impeachment charges against Trump. Otherwise, Democrats will continue scavenging for more “evidence” to revive the charges.

Nor is a full-blown trial the way to go. Even with acquittal assured, protracted proceedings would permit Democrats and their compliant media to continue trying to poison the electorate against the president.

Instead, Republicans should announce the failure of the House Democrats to prove that Trump deserves to be removed from office. They should call for a full vote of the Senate to acquit the president. This would amount to a kind of senatorial stare decisis, with the chief justice witnessing that the House’s deficient “obstruction of Congress” and “abuse of power” articles cannot constrain the authority of this president or any future one from exerting executive privilege or negotiating with foreign leaders as he or she sees fit.

House Speaker Pelosi, after signing the articles of impeachment, passed out her ceremonial pens triumphantly. The Senate should borrow her pens to sign Trump’s acquittal.

Brian Goldenfeld, Oak Park

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To the editor: I guess it’s finally time to change parties. Being a Republican is just so darn convenient.

Anytime one of us gets in trouble, we can just all get together and not allow any witnesses to testify against us.

Katrin Wiese, Rialto

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To the editor: I wish to thank the people of California’s 28th Congressional District for sending Rep. Adam Schiff to the House. He is an intellectual and incisive gift to the republic.

Democrats may lose this fight, but it won’t be because Schiff put a wrong foot forward. His performance in the run-up to and the trial of Trump has been incandescent.

John Oliver, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.