Star has played a role
in Trump impeachment
Back before last November’s election, the Arizona Daily Star’s Editorial Board, including President and Publisher John D’Orlando and Opinion Page Editor Sarah Garrecht Gassen, endorsed all Democrats for Congress for Southern Arizona. That included Raúl Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Tom O’Halleran for the U.S. House of Representatives. All have supported the impeachment inquiry of President Trump.
The Star’s endorsement of all Democrats for Congress helped them to win a majority in the House of Representatives. The Star was not ignorant to the fact that many Democrats in Congress had previously stated they would impeach Trump if they had the majority. Well, now they do and now they are impeaching Trump.
Meanwhile, there is no legislation being passed on the new trade deals that Trump negotiated with Mexico and Canada, no infrastructure legislation being passed, et cetera. The partisan rift among Democrats and Republicans in Congress is wide and getting wider because of partisan impeachment. So thanks to the Star for helping to ferment this. And, they will likely endorse all Democrats again in 2020, including for president.
People are also reading…
Alice Moreno
Midtown
Just don’t drink
and drive or ride or ...
Re: the Dec. 15. column “Drink and scoot? You’ll fly — into the ground.”
Mr. Edward Celaya, this was a great column. You should be commended for having the courage to admit a big mistake, and in print for all to see and hopefully profit from your advice.
You express yourself well on the dangers of driving cars, electronic scooters, and, I might add, riding a bicycle, after drinking. I might add smoking pot as well.
A suggestion: Consider writing an article on the dangers of allowing drinking on the University of Arizona campus. The UA should be declared an alcohol-free zone.
I hope that you will support this and initiate efforts in protecting the health and safety of the university community.
Francis Saitta
Downtown
Arizona senators have a duty to fulfill
Lindsey Graham has said, “I am not trying to pretend to be a fair juror here.” Mitch McConnell has admitted to being on the same page as the president during impeachment. Is this supposed to be the way impeachment works?
I hope U.S. Sens. Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema will stand up for the oath that they will take as a juror in this impeachment trial and not let these people get away with treating impeachment as a joke. It’s not. More than half the country wants there to be justice done.
If my elected officials don’t pay us any mind, we will make sure they are voted out. Assuming, of course, that we have any country left since the president thinks the Constitution is just another piece of paper that means nothing. Impeachment is important. This president is a criminal. I urge Sens. McSally and Sinema to do their duty.
Debbi DeSisto
North side
CEO makes pitcher’s pay look like chump change
Re: the Dec. 15 letter “Pay offered to pitcher is an indictment of society.”
The author of this letter rightfully questions our values in paying professional athletes millions of dollars annually while teachers receive a starting salary of just $40,000 per year. Citing the salary of one major-league ballplayer specifically, the author could have included yet another example of this gross disparity by mentioning the compensation paid to the CEO of an S&P 500 (entertainment) company.
The Wall Street Journal reported this individual’s compensation amounted to $129 million in 2018, or a few bucks more than the $36 million annually to be paid to the ballplayer in question. While the CEO’s pay was performance-based, the Yankees also have high expectations that their newly acquired pitcher will add value to their organization.
Tom House
Midtown
Would a secret ballot change senators’ votes?
While campaigning, Trump stated that he could shoot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue and get away with it. Sad to say, but he was right. The current impeachment hearings and upcoming Senate trial prove his point. We are told that Sen. Mitch McConnell will be acting as the equivalent of a jury foreman. By announcing in advance of any witness testimony, before the first gavel is struck, that there is “no way that Trump will be found guilty,” why bother?
I doubt that a single senator on either side will be swayed by the “trial.” It is sad that the outcome is already predetermined. I could only hope that each senator is able to look themselves in the mirror and say that they took the best interests of the country in mind in casting their vote. Would they cast the same vote if it was a closed vote?
Martin Greene
East side
Jim Jordan is new face of Republican Party
Jim Jordan is the Ohio congressman accused of turning a blind eye to the actions of a sexual predator while he was a coach at Ohio State University. Multiple victims complained to Jordan, but he denied everything. The House Ethics Committee may yet hold him accountable.
Even so, Jordan is the guy the GOP leadership picked to head the Trump defense at the impeachment hearings. Why? He’ s shown that he can deny evidence when it’s right in front of him.
See no evil, hear no evil. He’s very skilled at faking outrage and thus firing up the Trump base as did Sen. Linsey Graham at the Kavanaugh hearings.
His rapid-fire snake oil salesmen style of rhetoric is well suited to distract from the evidence at hand.
Still, the lies and misinformation he spews come through loud and clear. Jim Jordan is indeed the true face of the GOP.
Denny Murano
East side
Republicans are set
to violate their oaths
Linsey Graham brags to all that he “won’t be fair.” In fact, he wants “no evidence,” already making up his mind.
Most Republicans, if not all, have stated similar expressions of support for President Trump.
According to the Washington Post, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell all but guaranteed a Trump acquittal, saying there was “zero chance” the president would be removed from office, and promised, “total coordination” with the White House and Trump’s defense team.
According to Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, “The Majority Leader proudly announced he is planning to rig the impeachment trial for Trump.”
McConnell suggested even “skipping the trial altogether,” until reminded it was in the Constitution.
Senators must take an oath: “I solemnly swear (or affirm) that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of ____, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: so help me God.”
Republican Sen. John Cornyn responded late Friday, saying, “We will do our duty under the Constitution in a dignified and serious manner.”
Impartial? Really?
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Local, federal taxes are out of control
Re: the March 12 article “Arizona House votes to cut new $32 vehicle registration fee to $18.”
Absurd! We have multiple vehicles, so we are being robbed more than others.
We already pay taxes for police, roads, highways, and, hell, everything.
Every time some politician thinks they need more money to balance a budget, they make up some new way to extort money from people. It’s sick how out of control all of this is.
From the local level to a national level, we the people should be able to decide how the money, that we work for every day is spent. Unfortunately, we have a bunch of people that have a false sense of superiority in positions they probably shouldn’t hold. Taxes are to protect people from foreign intruders. That’s it. Period.
Our nation has gotten carried away with all the taxes and fees that people are just expected to swallow. We don’t support this, or any new tax. Live within your means!
Jackie Vanderlin
Northwest side
