LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I can’t believe the great Republican Party can’t find a real leader, rather than this mad man who is responsible for 100,000s of lives by not acknowledging the virus last February, not protecting the American people and not taking the steps we are now taking to save lives and get back to some kind of normalcy – and the Capitol Attack, which he insighted. Donald Trump thinks of nothing but Donald Trump. Period. He would like to be like Putin and Hitler and rule forever. All these lives lost and he’s still lying and planning no tax returns? He needs to be in prison now.
Raymond Brouillard Woonsocket
How many of you watched the impeachment proceedings of former president Donald J. Trump? While the outcome of the trial was predictable from the start, I still found it interesting to watch both the prosecution and defense teams sparring over the guilt or innocence of perhaps the worst president this country has ever had. The vote was 57 guilty to 43 innocent. Because there wasn’t a 2/3 majority vote to convict, Donald was lucky to escape punishment once again. Thanks to 43 cowardly Republican senators, justice did not prevail here. Kudos, however, to the 7 Republican senators who did vote guilty.
I liken Trump’s representation to be a kind of Johnny Cochran type. You know the kind – “If it does not fit, you must acquit.” Attorney Mike Van Der Veen did a masterful Johnny Cochran theatrical impersonation to get his client off. However, as in the O.J. Simpson case, the world still knows that Donald Trump is guilty as hell. I would now like to see private citizen Donald Trump tried in the civil courts; the results there should be different. In fact, I don’t know why private citizen Trump has not been arrested yet. Anyone else would have been.
The whole Trump defense team used a lot of legal jibberish to explain due process and free speech under the First Amendment. The only thing that accomplished was to create a diversion and cloud the truth. To that end, they were successful.
I do want to congratulate all the House Managers for an excellent job in prosecuting this case, especially Jamie Raskin and David Cicilline. They were prepared, organized, convincing, and extremely professional. Great job guys and gals; I was impressed.
Jerry Bousquet North Smithfield
Following a Lincoln Town Council Meeting the police chief had been appointed to serve as Town Administrator. With this understanding I wanted to offer the following observation.
It should be understood, as with the Town Administrator the Police Chief is also an officer of the town, not an employee, and the police chief cannot hold dual office.
Conveniently, this provision of the Lincoln Town Charter was overlooked! Regardless; it’s a moot issue and its terribly concerning our elected officials that have served for over 15 years have chosen to either ignore the law or never grew to understand the law they’ve been elected to do for all these years!
{Dual office holding.}
[Amended 7-1-1971; 11-10-2002]
No person shall be eligible to hold any paid office or employment or to serve on any board or commission in the Town government who holds any other Town office or serves on any other board or commission, or holds any civil office, legislative, executive or judicial, in either the state or federal government, except that of notary public or member of the National Guard or Military Reserve, and except as otherwise provided in this Charter or by general law.
I feel it’s prudent that the public understand this.
Dean L. Lees Jr. Lincoln