APRIL 26, 2019, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
Opinion
The heroes of the Mueller Report
By DEBRA J. SAUNDERS
Now that special counsel Robert
Mueller’s report is out, it is time to sa-
lute the heroes.
Mueller is not among them. He
was a hero when he served in Vietnam.
During his career as a pros-
ecutor, he won the respect
of colleagues who still talk
of him as a godlike fi gure.
But in this role, Mueller
became living proof that
there is such a thing as too
much rectitude.
Mueller prolonged this
investigation when the trail to collu-
sion between the Trump campaign
and Russians trying to undermine the
2016 presidential election had grown
cold and opaque. Of course he did:
He’s a federal prosecutor.
Mueller saw a surer path for
charging President Donald Trump
based on alleged acts of obstruction
of justice—a path that opened be-
cause Trump fi red FBI Director James
Comey. Thus, the enterprise always
had a whiff of payback—of the law
enforcement empire striking back at
the executive who thought he ran the
show.
The document noted there are
many legal issues that make obstruc-
tion a murky fi eld. Rather than list the
few areas where Trump overstepped,
the report presented a laundry list of
possible obstruction, starting with the
2016 campaign. Campaign swells sus-
pected WikiLeaks had dirt on rival
Democrat Hillary Clinton, and that
was OK with them—and somehow
that might constitute a crime. And
Trump pooh-poohed the notion that
Russia was working for his victory —
which in the free world shows the ex-
ercise of free speech at work.
As for former FBI Director Comey,
whose fi ring by Trump provided the
pretext for naming Robert Mueller as
special counsel, he bears a dubious role
in this time suck of a story.
If Comey had been transparent,
there would have been no special
prosecutor. Can you blame Trump for
smelling a setup?
Critics complain the report did not
explore the shady smear-campaign
origins of the “dossier” funded by the
Democratic National Committee and
Clinton campaign and used
to justify now discredited
theories on Russian collu-
sion. The Justice Depart-
ment’s inspector general
should chime in on that
mess in short order.
So, who are the heroes?
A lot of them are lawyers
such as Don McGahn, the White
House counsel who refused Trump’s
demand that he fi re Mueller. To the
contrary, McGahn let it be known that
he would resign rather than comply
with a foolhardy order that eventual-
ly could have cost Trump the White
House and ruined the reputations of
any minions who caved under pres-
sure.
Attorneys John Dowd and Ty Cobb
pushed for a full-cooperation strate-
gy that, based on Trump’s now-con-
fi rmed belief there was no collusion,
persuaded the president to hand over
documents to investigators rather than
claim executive privilege.
Trump never forgave his fi rst attor-
ney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing
himself from the probe in March 2017,
as Democrats demanded his resigna-
tion because Sessions had met twice
with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey
Kislyak without disclosing the meet-
ings during his confi rmation hearing.
Trump pushed Sessions to resign
repeatedly. In May 2017, Sessions
complied with a letter tendering his
resignation. Trump then decided to
keep Sessions on board, and he held
onto the letter.
According to the report, Trump’s
fi rst chief of staff, Reince Priebus,
saw Trump’s retention of the letter as
unwise in that it could “function as a
kind of ‘shock collar’ that the President
could use any time he wanted; Prie-
bus said the President had ‘DOJ by the
othor
voicos
Serious
crimes are not
‘mistakes’
co-op are fortunate to
have some of the low-
est rates in the state. As
a board member I’ve
been impressed with
the effi ciency and the
dedication of our em-
ployees and the board.
In this next election by May 6 the
co-op has an opportunity to elect a
man who is invested in the co-op
philosophy and the Salem Electric
history.
I encourage you to vote for Jar-
ed Virtue for Salem Electric position
#4.
Joe Van Meter
Keizer
lottors
To the Editor:
I fi nd it necessary to be-
come more engaged in the
debate as to Senate Bill 1008, which
eliminates the application of Measure
11 to persons aged 15, 16, and 17
who commit highly violent crimes.
I take issue with a Senate Major-
ity Offi ce news release dated April
16 which characterizes the Oregon
Youth Authority as part of “adult
prisons” and which refers to violent
youth crimes as “mistakes.”
Let us be clear: the Oregon Youth
Authority (OYA) was created in
1995 in SB1 as a new and unique in-
stitution designed to focus on reha-
bilitation of youth offenders. I helped
pass this bill, as a state representative.
More than 95 percent of Measure 11
youth offenders will serve their en-
tire custody in the OYA (up to age
25). It is not an “adult” prison.
Let us also be clear about crimes:
Measure 11 only applies to:
Murder
Manslaughter in the First Degree
Manslaughter in the Second De-
gree
Assault in the First Degree
Assault in the Second Degree
Kidnapping in the First Degree
Kidnapping in the Second Degree
Rape in the First Degree
Rape in the Second Degree
Sodomy in the First Degree
Sodomy in the Second Degree
Unlawful Sexual Penetration in
the First Degree
Unlawful Sexual Penetration in
the Second Degree
Sexual Abuse in the First Degree
Robbery in the First Degree
Robbery in the Second Degree
I am amazed that anyone would
call these “mistakes.”
Kevin L. Mannix
Salem
Jared Virtue for
Electric board
To the Editor:
Those of us on the Salem Electric
It is Safe Digging
Month
To the Editor:
April is National Safe Digging
Month and it is also the time when
NW Natural reminds you to call 811
before you dig.
Spring brings planting and the
start outdoor projects—before start-
ing a task that involves digging 12
inches or lower, call 811 to have un-
derground utilities located.
Contacting 811 is free and easy.
At least two days before the start of a
project, call 811 or go online to make
the request at digsafelyoregon.com.
You can also use NW Natural’s new
safety app.
When you contact 811, a local
one-call center representative col-
lects details and notifi es the local
utility companies of the intent to dig.
Then, a professional locator visits the
site to mark the location of under-
ground utility lines with paint. Once
the site is marked, it is safe to dig
carefully around the marked areas.
If while you’re digging, you ac-
cidentally hit a gas line, report it
immediately by calling 911 or NW
Natural’s emergency line at 800-
882-3377. No damage is too small
to report to NW Natural, and even
a small dent could weaken a natural
gas line.
Enjoy the season, and remember
to call 811.
Bruce Anderson
NW Natural Community Affairs
Salem
throat.’”
This was as strong a case for ob-
struction as exists in the report. For-
tunately for Trump, Priebus and
then-chief strategist Stephen Bannon
prodded Trump to return the letter
with a notation that Sessions’ resigna-
tion was not accepted.
In the summer of 2017, Trump again
pressured Sessions to “recuse” him-
self with the risible argument that if
he complied, Sessions would be hailed
as a “hero.” But it’s Sessions’ refusal to
buckle that makes this much-maligned
former senator and prosecutor stand
out for having the courage of his con-
victions.
As Mueller wrote, “The President’s
efforts to infl uence the investigation
were mostly unsuccessful, but that is
largely because the persons who sur-
rounded the President declined to car-
ry out orders or accede to his requests.”
In September, The New York Times
ran an anonymous opinion piece. It
came from a member of the admin-
istration’s insider “resistance” of be-
leaguered staffers who support many
of Trump’s initiatives and want the
administration to succeed but none-
theless “are working to insulate their
operations from his whims,” as Trump’s
“impulsiveness results in half-baked,
ill-informed and occasionally reckless
decisions that have to be walked back.”
The torrent of abuse directed at
the no-name author was bloated
with umbrage. He or she was a cow-
ard who should have resigned openly
and in public, scolds proclaimed. Even
though it took true grit to withstand
Trump’s abusive behavior in service to
the country.
McGahn was too self-serving. Ses-
sions was spineless. John Dowd and
Ty Cobb were clueless. Priebus rep-
resented the dreaded establishment.
Bannon was dangerous. And the im-
pulsive Trump likely would not have
remained in offi ce without them.
(Croators Syndicato)
Candidates have good. They have bad.
The 2020 presidential election is
underway already. These campaigns
become tiresome and repe-
titious before it fi nishes. The
election is 19 months off,
already it is tempting ear-
plugs. U.S. citizenship does
not by law require one to par-
ticipate; nevertheless, due to
our nation’s viability at stake,
we get sucked into the mael-
strom. Escapes are possible
but only by extreme measures: live at
the South Pole, boat the upper Ama-
zon or explore Mars.
A fi rst for me, the 1960 contest
fairly early narrowed to Dick Nixon
versus John F. Kennedy. I recall a de-
bate between the two of them where-
in Nixon appeared nervous while John
Kennedy’s relaxed manner turned it in
his favor. Other contests every four
years since have usually pitted a Re-
publican against a Democrat, although
there have been serious third party ef-
forts led at various times by Libertar-
ian Gary Johnson, Green Party Ralph
Nader, Independent Ross Perot and
American Independent George Wal-
lace.
For the 2016 contest, an unusual-
ly large number of Republicans an-
nounced their interest, including the
most controversial of them, a self-pro-
claimed New York City tycoon, Don-
ald F. Trump. Also, there just had to
be Bush and Clinton “royals.” One
female Republican entered, Carly Fio-
rina, and the one believed here best
qualifi ed and most fi t for President
of the United States among the GOP
contenders, John Ka-
sich. Among those
running, the huge
number dwindled to
Donald J. Trump, who
promised the most
but has delivered the
least, his “victory” be-
ing the defi cit-raising
tax cuts mainly ben-
efi ting America’s wealthiest one per-
cent.
The 2020 election fi nds President
Trump seeking re-election, this time
as a Trump Party candidate. Mean-
while, the Democrat aspirants number
in double fi gures, most of whom have
declared their intention. There are
several among the “declared” collec-
tion in the ‘big splash’ group by con-
tributions in the most millions of dol-
lars, the top fi ve being Bernie Sanders,
Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Beto
O’Rourke and Elizabeth Warren.
Back when, in recent presidential
runs, some aspirants appeared unlikely
prospects. Because he was infamous for
female relationships outside his mar-
riage, Bill Clinton was viewed as un-
acceptable. George W. Bush was seen
as weak in every way save name recog-
nition. Barack Obama was a POTUS
want-to-be whose heritage was Afri-
can American, a no-go for prejudiced
Americans. Then there was Trump’s
ego. All proved me wrong.
Now, perceived reservations due to
gono h.
mcintyro
societal norms, racial bias and gender
misgivings apply to several leading
Democrats who’ve shown their in-
terest in becoming president. Bernie
Sanders will be 79 next year. Kamala
Harris, who is black, was a prosecutor
who was hard on other blacks. Pete
Buttigieg is openly gay and married to
another man. Beto O’Rourke gestures
wildly and appears to be a safety risk to
anyone nearby. Elizabeth Warren, duty
bound by her oath of offi ce to protect
and defend the U.S. Constitution, is
confi dent enough to call for Trump’s
impeachment. Joe Biden hauls around
a virtual freight train full of regrets,
gaffs, faux pas and unwanted touch-
ing. Meanwhile, there’s good and bad
in all of them.
Because in modern times the
United States has so seldom elected
a president who in offi ce demon-
strated good sense and a steady hand,
if change were possible it’s suggested
a modifi ed U.S. Constitution for the
executive branch: Elect three persons
to the executive head position wherein
thereafter all decisions coming out of
the Oval Offi ce would require una-
nimity for sane decisions that serve all
Americans. Also there’s now at least
one wild card in the person of former
Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, a
Republican politician of considerable
renown who will attract disaffected
GOP voters.
(Gono H. McIntyro sharos his opin-
ion rogularly in tho Koizortimos.)
Secure school budget before anything
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By BILL POST
The Capitol building was in a fury
the fi rst couple weeks of this month,
because April 9 was the
last day to hold a work ses-
sion for a bill in the cham-
ber of origin.
For example, if a House
bill did not have a work
session in a House com-
mittee by April 9, the bill
most likely died, as the
bill did not meet the deadlines and
will not be moving forward. The ex-
ception to this rule is the fact that
there are a handful of committees
this deadline does not apply to. For
example, the joint committees—
Rules and Revenue—do not have
this deadline. Now that this deadline
has passed, there is a bit of calm to
the building. That is, until the next
deadline which is May 10.
The legislature has to constitu-
tionally Sine Die (end session) by
June 30. Unfortunately, we haven’t
passed any budget bills of signifi -
cance which is the entire point for
session. One of my greatest frustra-
tions in now my third full legislative
session, is that the K-12 budget is not
done fi rst up in the session. There
are hundreds of policy bills for all
sorts of things but to
me there truly are only
three things that the
legislature is constitu-
tionally bound to do:
education, public safe-
ty and transportation. I
have consistently asked
why we don’t do the
K-12 budget fi rst? Now that I am
on a Ways and Means subcommittee
(Joint Committee on Transportation
and Economic Development) I am
starting to understand more.
In the subcommittees, state agen-
cies present their budgets. That means
we get to ask the tough questions of
agency directors. We will determine
their budget for the next two years.
I’m fi nding this to be a very inter-
esting and rewarding part of this job.
Recently, we had the chance to talk
to the Oregon Department of Trans-
portation director about ODOT’s
budget. In that, I was able to ask
about “safety corridors” specifi cally
out north of Keizer on Hwy 219 and
from tho
capitol
the McKay Road area where recent-
ly a headline declared it was “Death
Road.” I pushed for more funding for
the Newberg-Dundee Bypass. That’s
not a huge Keizer issue but it greatly
effects the Newberg area and more
importantly, it’s fi nished product will
help end “Death Road” in the North
Marion County area I serve. That’s
why I believe I am here: education,
public safety and transportation.
A quick note about my Sudafed
bill, HB 2303. It passed out of the
House 33-22 on April 11 and is now
set for the Senate Judiciary Commit-
tee. It was greatly amended in the
House so that if it passed it would
allow Oregonians to choose to get
a doctor’s prescription for pseudo-
ephedrine products or they could
go straight to the pharmacy, show a
government issued ID and purchase
it themselves. I have high hopes that
we can pass this and give Oregonians
more affordable and accessible health
care.
(Bill Post roprosonts Houso Dis-
trict 25. Ho can bo roachod at 503-
986- 1425 or via omail at rop.bill-
post@ orogonlogislaturo.gov.)