Letters for Feb. 14

Honor your oath, congressman

Congressman Baumgartner recently took an oath “to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Elon Musk has been allowed to unlawfully and undemocratically take over the federal government. He was not given authorization from Congress nor has he been recognized as an official of OUR government. This is quite simply a coup d’etat. Musk is operating outside of and in violation of the Constitution that the congressman swore to protect. I urge the congressman to fight against this traitorous behavior. The only thing that cannot be taken from a person is one’s integrity.

Will Congressman Baumgartner rise to this threat? We, the people, demand courage and character from our representative during this constitutional crisis. As a freshman representative, this is his first test. Will Baumgartner honor his oath with integrity, strength and independence or will he cower in the shadows and forever tarnish his integrity?

Price Gledhill

Spokane

Baumgartner’s viewpoints

Congressman Michael Baumgartner is initiating conversations with his Eastern Washington constituency regarding how he can be of help to voters. I would like to know his position on the following matters.

First, what is his position regarding the President’s pardoning of the participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C.?

Second, does he condone the pardoning of people who have been convicted of attacking the uniformed police guarding the Capitol?

Third, the USAID program provides funds for foreign counties to purchase agricultural products, many from Washington state. With USAID’s funding reduced by the administration, foreign countries have much less money with which to purchase agricultural products from our local farmers. How does he propose that local farmers make up for that loss of sales? How does he square that with Washington state farmers?

Fourth, regarding the “Deterrent Act,” to which he refers in his Feb. 7 newsletter, he claims that universities and colleges are not staying “true to their mission” and are being influenced by foreign powers, especially the Chinese Communist Party. On what basis does he make that claim?

Warren Carpenter

Spokane

Informative articles

Thank you for publishing the following articles on Feb. 2: “Who gave Trump the power to do that?” “High school teachers, teens, speak out against censorship, book restrictions.” “What changes for LGBTQ+ rights, resources under Trump? A 2025 guide for Washingtonians.”

Each of these articles thoughtfully covered issues which directly affect us. They focused on rights that are being taken away through government actions. Two out of three articles were written by Spokesman-Review journalists.

The question of who gave Trump the power to ignore the Constitution is one of the most important of his presidency. It is at the heart of whether or not our Democracy will survive. When will GOP lawmakers start to do their job of upholding the Constitution, and with it, the rights of the American people?

Newly elected Rep. Baumgartner has responsibility to uphold the rule of law. Has he fought for us while Trump “sidesteps constitutional boundaries.” Or has he simply shrugged?

In two short weeks, Trump has overreached his authority and undermined the role of Congress in so many ways. His actions are negative for virtually all Americans and the world. We need immigrants, we need a functioning federal government, we need to maintain ties with the world through USAID, we need grant programs in the U.S., we need environmental protection, and so much more.

Senators and representatives are the thin line separating us from Trump’s efforts to undo rights and freedoms. It is time for them to uphold the Constitution.

Betsy Wilson

Pullman