Letters to the editor for Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

Republican Party sinking in hypocrisy

The Republicans like to call themselves the “Party of Law and Order.” How quickly they responded to the movement “Black Lives Matter” with “Blue Lives Matter.” “Mr. Recusal” himself is referred to as “Maximum Sentence” Sessions. But that’s where it ends.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is an American hero and patriot. Princeton grad, Marine Corps Officer in Vietnam garnering the Bronze Star (for heroism), a Purple Heart, and two Navy Commendation Medals. He was the second longest serving FBI Director since Hoover. He served under a Republican and a Democrat. He is a Republican. His appointments were approved unanimously both times. His integrity is without question.

And that’s where I find the silence from a certain occasional columnist in the city to be disturbing. He is a graduate of the FBI Academy, a Vietnam Vet, and also had a career in law enforcement. Can you not step up and defend a fellow American who took a similar path as yourself? Since when do we allow a draft-dodging (five deferments to stay out of Vietnam), self-confessed sexual predator (grab them by their private parts), to impugn such a dedicated public servant so viciously? The tweeter has enlisted a posse of deplorables (Devin Nunes) to constantly denigrate and disparage the Americans and institutions that protect our democracy — the FBI, Justice Department, National Intelligence Agencies, etc. Pounding away daily on Fox Noise. Trump couldn’t carry Mueller’s jockstrap. Shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath.

So I ask, are there any Republicans out there who have no shame? If not, stay tuned next month. Party of Family Values? Really?

Rick Van Alfen

Carson City