Daines, others lied about election for personal gain
Sen. Daines: In a recent fundraising text message you stated the election was stolen. A few weeks ago you said the election wasn’t settled. On Jan. 6 you were going to challenge the electoral results in Congress until the siege on the capitol apparently alarmed you into changing your mind momentarily.
Is it any wonder that millions of people are so ginned up about election fraud? You, Trump, Cruz, Hawley and your accomplices are the cause: You have lied to your constituents repeatedly. All of you know the election results were reviewed and audited repeatedly. All of you know that Trump’s lawsuits were thrown out of the courts because Trump’s team had zero evidence of fraud. All of you know that Republican election officials, like those in Georgia, had the courage to count the votes accurately.
You know the truth, and instead of telling it, you and your collaborators chose to lie, and lie again, for political and personal gain. These lies are the reason millions of people are so manic. Are we really surprised at what happened at the capitol? You all have blood on your hands. Right-wing platforms are stating that the insurgency against our government has just begun, are bragging that the capitol siege was a victory, and that they intend to ramp up their desperate activities throughout the country. Isn’t it time for you to man-up, forget your selfish aspirations, and actually tell the truth?
Oh, I know, many of your constituents will turn on you, just as they did to Mike Pence for doing his constitutional duty. But hasn’t this gone too far? The right thing to do is to make a joint statement with Cruz, Hawley and all the rest, explaining that you all have been lying for personal and political gain.
Tim McWilliams
Bozeman
Daines and Rosendale can’t have it both ways
Steve Daines and Matt Rosendale perpetrated the big lie, making them guilty of fomenting the violent attempted coup of our democracy, and the looting and desecration of our sacred national Capitol. They repeatedly spread the conspiracy that the Dems were stealing the election from Trump. Daines even asked people to send Trump money to fight the election results — which they did to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars!
I listened to the Daines interview this morning on Yellowstone Public Radio. He said he didn’t think his or Trump’s rhetoric that the election was stolen contributed to the insurrection! And that his asking people to send money to Trump was just “fundraising hyperbole!” And that he wants us (the people) to stop talking about “resignation” and “impeachment.”
Really, Steve Daines. Well, I want you to apologize to the people of MT for spreading lies which helped incite the attempted coup. And then for you and Rosendale to resign. You are not leaders. You don’t lie to the American people, and if you do, there are consequences. You can’t have it both ways. Anything less and I believe you have earned a Profile of Cowardice.
Steve Gipe
Bozeman
Daines, Rosendale should be punished for rhetoric
Sen. Daines’ suggestion in the Chronicle that there was “dangerous rhetoric from all sides” mirroring Trump’s Charlottesville comment is inexcusable. No, Senator, people died in the Capitol
building because of the rhetoric from YOUR side. The fact that you tried to fundraise off of “the big lie” is disgraceful. The idea of a commission to investigate the election is best answered by Sen. Tester’s tweet “… The election is over- and the time for baseless objections that do nothing but undermine our Constitution is over too.” At a minimum, Sen. Daines should be censured by the Senate.
These past weeks, Rosendale has proven he is unfit and undeserving to represent the State of Montana in the House. He took an oath to protect our country from enemies both foreign and domestic. After only four days in office, he chose a conspiracy theory over the Constitution for his own political gain. Check out the press release from his office dated Jan. 11. In it, there is no
condemnation of the anarchists, authoritarianists, white nationalists and racists who attacked our Capitol. Nor was there any statement of condolence to the family of the capitol police officer who died. His anger is reserved only for the Democrats who appropriately seek to impeach Trump for incitement of an insurrection.
Rosendale’s extremism undermines any effectiveness to represent the people of Montana. Rosendale should resign, and if not, he should be expelled from the House.
Doug McSpadden
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letters to the Editor 1/23/21