the latest letter to the editor: on corruption
by Larry Kerschner, peacepoet
A recent Kaiser tracking poll found that voters view “corruption in Washington” as the “most important issue” in the upcoming midterm election, with 30 percent putting it at the top of their list. Health care came in second at 27 percent, and the economy/jobs took third at 25 percent.
Representative Jaime Herrera-Beutler has been an out-spoken supporter of what is probably the most corrupt administration in US history. Paul Manafort, 2016 Campaign Chairman to President Trump was convicted of filing false tax returns and bank fraud. Scott Pruittt, Trump’s Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency resigned citing increasing numbers of investigations of corruption in his administration.
Albert Kelly, EPA Superfund Task Force Director and top aide to EPA Chief Scott Pruitt, resigned amid scrutiny of his illegal actions as leader of a bank in Oklahoma which led to $125,000 fine and lifetime ban from banking. Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta, EPA Security Administrator, resigned after allegations of lavish spending and improper contracts.
Samantha Dravis, EPA Associate Administrator and Senior Counsel in the Office of Policy, resigned after allegations of being a no show employee. Trump foreign policy advisor, George Papdapolous pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to making false statements to FBI agents relating to contacts he had with agents of the Russian government while working for the Trump campaign.
Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign and plead guilty to charges of lying to the FBI as a plea bargain in exchange for cooperation against another corrupt Trump official who directed his alleged communications with the Russian government.
Tom Price, Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary, was forced to resign after it was discovered that he spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on private flights.
Rick Gates, 2016 Deputy Campaign Chairman to Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to conspiracy lying to investigators concerning his work lobbying with Ukraine as well as tax and bank fraud. This list is just a small part of the corrupt, incompetent and arrogant people that Donald Trump has invited to the trough in Washington.
Rep. Herrera-Beutler has not uttered one word about the corruption and fleecing of the American taxpayers she sees every day in Washington D.C. This could lead one to believe that she knows the level of corruption quite well. It is clearly time to replace her with someone who will not only notice the stench coming from the Trump administration but who will be willing to stand up for the American people and publicly point out the corruption in Washington D.C.
Carolyn Long is the person to replace JHB. She has not been afraid to meet and answer questions in town hall settings. She grew up in and knows the problems of rural communities. She understands the problems of working folks as a former member of UFCW Local 555. She is a tenured professor at WSU Vancouver where she has taught classes in American Institutions, Public Law, American Public Policy and Public Civility. She understands the change needed in Washington.