Letter to the editor

Truth, Trump and democracy

“Truth is on the march … . Those who are guilty do not want the truth to come out … . When truth is buried underground, it grows and builds up so much force that the day it explodes, it blasts everything with it. We shall see whether we have been setting ourselves up for the most resounding disaster yet to come.”

So wrote French author Emile Zola in his “J’Accuse” letter of 1898 regarding the antisemitic trial of French military officer, Alfred Dreyfus, of Jewish descent, unlawfully accused of espionage. Now, before us, in a 45-page inditement of former President Donald Trump by Special Council Jack Smith, we can read how even those elected officials who supported Trump with their votes and efforts toward his reelection, refused to support his illegal claims that the 2020 election was stolen by fraudulent means.

Reading the full indictment one is moved by the commitment to truth by some Trump-supporting lawmakers to defend the Constitution. It offers hope that truth will prevail in the halls of justice, that in spite of the delusion of the many followers who believe the former president’s lies, that truth and justice will prevail as the 2024 election cycle moves forward.

The Michigan House Speaker’s 2020 public statement refuting Trump’s effort to replace Michigan’s legally selected electors with fraudulent ones: “There is not enough support in the House to cast a new slate of electors. This would bring mutually assured destruction for every future election in regards to the Electoral College. And I can’t stand for that. I won’t.” He is a Republican.

May every American voter read this indictment and be grateful for the honest and truthful stance of our elected officials across the seven “contested” states to avoid a “resounding disaster.” May we yet remain a democracy.

Respectfully,

Christine Wardenburg-Skinner

Edison