There appears to be two words that President Donald Trump is unfamiliar with: law and Constitution.

He swore an oath to God to honor and defend both. However, he blatantly violates the Constitution and brazenly ignores law. Federal law gives whistleblowers protection. Yet he is trying to out the whistleblower who spoke about the Ukraine quid pro quo. He requires that executive branch employees refuse legitimate subpoenas from Congress and calls constitutionally required congressional oversight actions witch hunts and a hoax.

If innocent, why would he fear the testimony executive branch employees might make? Wouldn’t multiple employees testifying he didn’t commit the acts he has been charged with be the quickest way to end the investigations?

Under what circumstances does the president have the right to disregard the law or obstruct the constitutionally mandated functions of Congress? Nothing in the Constitution gives the president a “get out of jail free” card and rights to negate the law.

Rather than providing evidence of his innocence, the president attacks and tries to savage the reputations of those who reveal what he does not want known. This third-grade bullying attack tactic extends to Republicans and his own appointees, even questioning the patriotism and competence of a highly decorated Army officer with an impeccable career.

Just as troubling is the behavior of the Republicans in Congress who are falsely attacking process issues rather than offering facts to respond to the testimony that has been released.

Republicans complain they were shut out of the deposition process, but the full transcripts show they were fully involved. Even though the House has responded to these Republican complaints about the impeachment process, Republicans continue to attack the process and say it’s not fixable and lie about the level of involvement they were afforded.

— Richard Sorensen

Salisbury