To the editor: For those of us who’ve been closely monitoring the developments, everything laid out in former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith’s report about President-elect Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election was already known. It’s puzzling that some people are suddenly taken aback by the findings; perhaps they haven’t been keeping themselves adequately informed.
The only reason many didn’t notice Trump’s move to nullify the decision of American voters and unlawfully cling to power is willful ignorance. This very ignorance is what’s paving the way for a convicted individual to re-enter the Oval Office.
There’s an old saying: you can’t fix stupidity. However, willful ignorance can be remedied by staying informed, and a strong and successful nation requires an informed electorate.
If we want to preserve our democracy, we must stay vigilant, engaged, and knowledgeable. Anything less only keeps us trapped in the situation we find ourselves in now.
Robert Archerd, Rancho Palos Verdes
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To the editor: Smith’s decision not to charge Trump with insurrection partly stems from the Justice Department’s policy against indicting sitting presidents on federal charges, and Trump was president at the time of the Capitol attack. Taking such action against a president would be without precedent.
However, the alleged crime itself was unprecedented. Never before in our nation’s history has a sitting president incited a mob to storm the Capitol to obstruct the peaceful transition of power. An unprecedented crime warrants an equally unparalleled legal response, even if that response has never been seen before.
Smith’s actions underscore the stark contrast between the two divided factions in our country. He feels a duty to respect the nation’s precedents and laws. Meanwhile, Trump and his supporters believe they are justified, even emboldened, to dismiss traditions, precedents, and laws to achieve their objectives.
Jerrold Gold, Thousand Oaks
