The right must always choose truth over lies

America’s institutions endured. Despite the disgraceful attack on the United States Capitol by a deranged mob stirred up by Donald Trump, the state-certified Electoral College votes were counted, and the election to the presidency and vice-presidency of Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris was finalized.

This ugly chapter of American history must never be repeated.

To move forward, Americans, especially those on the right, must not shy away from the truth.

It is true that many supporters of the president believe him when he says the election was stolen from him and that widespread fraud is the explanation. But, as Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said, “The best way we could show respect for the voters who were upset is by telling them the truth.”

The president hasn’t been telling his supporters the truth.

The president insists the courts failed to consider evidence of election fraud. That is false. Courts across the country did in fact directly consider and address election fraud claims.

The president insists that states that altered their election procedures violated either their own constitutions or the U. S. Constitution. That is false. Courts across the country, including judges appointed by Trump himself, considered these arguments and rejected them.

The president also wants his supporters to ignore Attorney General William Barr’s repeated statements that there just wasn’t evidence of fraud on the level insisted by the president.

What Trump wants his supporters to believe is that the courts, including judges appointed by Trump, all 50 states, including dozens governed by Republicans, and Trump’s own attorney general, all got everything wrong.

This is nonsense.

Yet this nonsense is what motivated the attack on the Capitol on Wednesday which left five people dead.

This nonsense is what motivated a shameful number of Republican lawmakers to object to the certification of Electoral College votes.

Rep. Ken Calvert, R- Corona, Rep. Mike Garcia, RSanta Clarita, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Temecula, and Rep.

Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake all chose to sacrifice conservative principles and their credibility. They failed to show true leadership; they failed to do the right thing when it was the easiest thing to do.

In contrast, Rep. Young Kim, R- Fullerton, after missing a vote on an objection to Arizona’s electoral votes to get a coronavirus test, served her constituents and the nation well by opposing the challenge to Pennsylvania’s electoral votes. Young Kim showed her fellow SoCal Republicans what leadership actually looks like.

As the Trump era ends, and we enter a time of unified Democratic control of the White House and Congress, we expect America’s institutions will do more to restrain the excesses of oneparty rule than unprincipled Republican politicians ever could.

We strongly urge Republicans still loyal to this president to believe in America again. America is not lost. America is not the country fringe- conspiracy theorists insist it is. America may trend left in the years ahead, but we are far from devolving into Venezuela.

But America’s institutions will endure only so long as there are Americans committed to defending them. Republicans must decide whether they’re more committed to America or Donald Trump.