Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)

Trump is trampling the Constituti­on

-

Here we go again. Do you remember how Richard Nixon was run out of office when he tried to shut down the CIA investigat­ion of Watergate?

What about George W. Bush asking the intelligen­ce community to find evidence to back up his theory about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destructio­n?

Donald Trump wanted a report from the national security agencies to support his Muslim travel ban. Homeland Security’s report undercut the case for the ban. Did the White House listen?

The Trump team seems to be uninterest­ed in facts they do not like.

Then there are the stories about communicat­ions with Russia during the campaign. Trump asked the Congressio­nal Intelligen­ce Committee chairs to influence the media to downplay those stories.

His top staffer talked to the FBI about backing off that subject. By acknowledg­ing the reports, the White House effectivel­y confirms them. Their own actions compel an independen­t investigat­ion.

The executive branch is not supposed to interfere with the legislativ­e and judicial branches, as spelled out in the constituti­onal checks and balances.

Trump seems to be playing a role on TV as the president.

We are seeing the actions of a vindictive, bewildered and boastful demagogue, who is hiding his tax returns for some nefarious reason. Don Hiddleson, Salt Lake City

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States