Rumor and innuendo

So Donald Trump was trying to unite us but the awful Democrats wouldn’t have it, according to Mike Masterson’s “anonymous Trump supporter.” The supporter’s list of grievances includes the Russia investigation, most of which has been confirmed by U.S. courts and investigations, including a Republican-controlled Senate committee. And, he says, it’s the press that’s always lying, not Honest Don.

It seems for Trump supporters history begins in 2016. They conveniently don’t remember Mitch McConnell’s pronouncement after Obama was elected that his job was not to work with the new president, but to make sure he was not re-elected. Or later, his blocking of a sitting president’s Supreme Court nominee. I’m not sure where the Republicans found that stunt in their pocket Constitutions.

When Masterson switches to his own voice he leaves no doubt that he believes that Trump has been cheated by “skulduggery” and “shenanigans,” but of course offers no evidence beyond a reference to unsubstantiated “sworn affidavits.”

It seems odd that if Democrats were so good at fraud that they didn’t go ahead and steal the Senate too. This is the playbook in the Trump era: Spread distrust and doubt, and when proof is found lacking, move on, always insisting that you were right just the same. I find it inconceivable that anyone in a position of influence would try to undermine trust in our democratic process with nothing more than rumor and innuendo as evidence. I expect better of this newspaper and my nation.

ROBERT MARTIN

Midway