‘No collusion’ is a talking point

Re “Not impressed by Adam Schiff,” letters, Aug. 1

I strongly object to the L.A. Times publishing right-wing talking points on the letters page without editorial comment explaining why they are wrong.

In Thursday’s paper, you published a letter deriding House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (DBurbank) for claiming to have “secret evidence” of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

In fact, as Schiff has stated, his evidence isn’t secret at all, but offered publicly two years ago by Donald Trump Jr. himself, who received — and forwarded — emails offering (illegal) campaign assistance from “crown prosecutor of Russia.” Trump’s written response was, “I love it,” and he held a meeting in Trump Tower. None of this is in dispute.

Although former Justice Department special counsel Robert S. Mueller III concluded this exchange did not reach the threshold of criminal conspiracy, the words “no collusion” do not appear anywhere in his report. Gary Davis Los Angeles

One letter writer urges the Democrats to “accept the Mueller report” and move on, because Russia is not a major threat.

Clearly, he has not read the Mueller report or the subsequent bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report. Both outline the clear and present danger posed by the Russian’s “sweeping and systematic” attack on our very democracy. Mueller has expressed that the threat posed by Russia is among the most serious challenges he has ever seen.

We can keep our democracy only if we are willing to fight for it. Thomas D. Penfield Cardiff, Calif.