What’s not important

I guess we all have our favorites— and the reverse—from watching two weeks of testimony in the impeachment inquiry. I was greatly impressed by Marie Yovanovich and Fiona Hill, two extremely competent, fair, and forthright women I would have been happy to call boss back in my working days. Among the Republican members, I liked Texas Rep. Will Hurd, who was always civil and respectful to the people he was questioning. In contrast, Representatives Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan were often rude or bullying.

Russ Bailey obviously doesn’t like Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. Mr. Bailey implies that he has as much right as Vindman to testify about the July 25 phone call, which is to say none at all. However, Colonel Vindman had been given the responsibility to listen to the call. His duties were complex. Bailey resents that Vindman wore his dress uniform to the hearing. Army officers are expected to be in uniform when attending official functions, and what could be more official, in fact historical, than an impeachment hearing?

I believe that military people take an oath to obey all lawful orders. That does leave them an individual conscience. Colonel Vindman heard what sounded like an abuse of power in that call. He took his concerns through what he considered the chain of command to White House lawyer John Eisenberg, who apparently buried them.

No one is above the law. The issue is abuse of power. The issue is the evidence. The issue is how constitutional scholars define “high crimes and misdemeanors.” In the end, who we like or don’t like is not that important. CORALIE KOONCE

Fayetteville