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OPINION
East Oregonian
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Founded October 16, 1875
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Publisher
DANIEL WATTENBURGER
Managing Editor
TIM TRAINOR
Opinion Page Editor
MARISSA WILLIAMS
Regional Advertising Director
MARCY ROSENBERG
Circulation Manager
JANNA HEIMGARTNER
Business Office Manager
MIKE JENSEN
Production Manager
OUR VIEW
How to reach
your congressmen
Members of Congress are hearing
from their constituents in record
numbers as controversial cabinet
members and executive orders blast
through Washington and out into
Oregon and the world at large.
Some voters want their
representatives to resist President
Donald Trump at every turn, while
others want the president to be given
an opportunity to enact his vision.
Either way, federal representatives
should hear from their constituents.
And Eastern Oregon is lucky in that
each of its federal representatives
make themselves available to the
public and welcome comment on a
range of issues.
And those comments are coming
in droves.
Sen. Ron Wyden said his recent
Oregon town halls drew his largest
crowds, and noted recently that “in
just a few weeks I received more
than 14,000 emails from Oregonians
expressing their concerns about
Betsy DeVos ... that is the quantity
of mail I would normally receive
over four months on all subjects.”
He tweeted Jan. 26 that his office
phones were “jammed” because of a
high volume of callers.
It can be hard for a constituent
to break through that jam, and have
your voice resonate amid 13,999
other messages. Yet it can be done.
Hank Stern, communications
director for Wyden, said email —
which has increased “1,000 percent”
over year prior — is the easiest way
for the office to convey constituent
information to the senator.
Martina McLennan,
communications director for Sen.
Jeff Merkley, has also seen an uptick
in constituent contact.
“Since the beginning of this year,
our office has seen an unprecedented
outpouring of Oregonians contacting
Senator Merkley to express their
views about what is happening in
D.C.,” she said. “Typically, our
office receives fewer than 100
calls per day, so it sends a huge
message when we see thousands
upon thousands of Oregonians
reaching out to our office to express
their views about the cabinet
nominations and policy positions
that are being considered by the new
administration.”
McLennan offered some tips
about how to contribute to the
conversation.
She said the office does track
emails and physical mail, the
opinions in which are tallied and
shared with the senator. McLennan
said if you do telephone the office,
callers should give their location
then note the issue and their opinion
— the more concise the better —
and you’ll be added to the tally.
If you are visiting the office in
person, she recommends making
an appointment and giving notice
so staff can have an appropriate
person at the office to speak with an
individual or group.
The calls and letters headed
toward Republican representatives
are just as numerous.
Andrew Malcolm,
communications director for
Rep. Greg Walden, said the
representative’s office has responded
CONTACT INFORMATION
U.S. Senators
Ron Wyden
Washington office:
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
Email: www.wyden.senate.gov/con-
tact
La Grande office:
541-962-7691
Jeff Merkley
Washington office:
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Email: www.merkley.senate.gov/
contact
Pendleton office:
541-278-1129
U.S. Representative
Greg Walden
Washington office:
185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Email: walden.house.gov/con-
tact-greg/email-me
La Grande office:
541-624-2400
Governor
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
Email: www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/
share-your-opinion.aspx
Senator
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-423
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Email: Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
Representatives
Greg Barreto, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-38
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Email: Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Email: Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
to more than 1,400 messages in
the last month while receiving
many more. Last year, Malcolm
said the office responded to 26,000
messages.
Constituents can visit walden.
house.gov, like Walden’s Facebook
account and follow his Twitter.
Malcolm said those are good ways
to pass along information to Walden
and get information directly from
him as well.
Modern electronic
communication, along with old
fashioned letters and telephone
calls, is efficient and useful. But
some of the most honest and fruitful
interaction is done face to face. And
while a trip to the nation’s capital
is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for
many Oregonians, all three of our
congressmen travel home often.
On Friday, Rep. Walden will be in
Weston at 11:30 a.m. and Boardman
at 2:15 p.m. for town halls. They
offer the best opportunities for local
people to have a conversation with a
congressman.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of publisher
Kathryn Brown, managing editor Daniel Wattenburger, and opinion page editor Tim Trainor.
Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of the East Oregonian.
OTHER VIEWS
Judge Robart’s national
security expertise
J
udge James Robart, of the U.S.
president’s executive order.
District Court for the Western
Now, it turns out Robart might
District of Washington State,
not know as much as he let on.
believes there is no basis for President
Last summer, the Senate Judiciary
Trump’s executive order temporarily
Subcommittee on Immigration
suspending non-American entry from
and the National Interest analyzed
seven terrorism-plagued countries.
public sources of information,
In court last week, Robart
seeking to learn more about people
questioned Justice Department
convicted of terror-related offenses.
Byron
lawyer Michelle Bennett about the
The Justice Department provided
York
administration’s decision to confine the
the subcommittee with a list of 580
Comment
moratorium to Somalia, Libya, Yemen,
people who were convicted — not just
Syria, Sudan, Iraq, and Iran.
arrested, but tried and convicted — of
“Have there been terrorist attacks in the
terror-related offenses between Sept. 11, 2001
United States by refugees or other immigrants and Dec. 31, 2014.
from the seven countries listed, since 9/11?”
The subcommittee investigated further and
Bennett said.
found that at least 380 of the
“Your honor, I don’t know
580 were foreign-born and
the specific details of attacks
that an additional 129 were of
or planned attacks,” Bennett
unknown origin. Of the 380,
responded. “I think — I will
there were representatives
point out, first of all, that
— at least 60 — from all of
the rationale for the order
the countries on the Trump
was not only 9/11, it was to
executive order list. And with
protect the United States from
129 unknowns, there might
the potential for terrorism. I
be more, as well.
will also note that the seven
In addition, since the
countries that are listed in
Senate list was compiled,
the executive order are the
there have been others
same seven countries that
involved in terrorism in the
were already subject to other
United States from the seven
restrictions in obtaining visas that Congress
countries. One highly publicized example was
put in place, both by naming countries, Syria
the case of Abdul Artan, a Somali refugee
and Iraq, and that the prior administration put
who last November wounded 11 people with
in place by designating them as places where
a machete during an attack on the campus of
terrorism is likely to occur, or — the specific
Ohio State University. In fairness to Judge
factors are whether the presence in a particular Robart, Artan was shot and killed by police
country increases the likelihood that an alien
— not arrested — so perhaps the judge didn’t
is a credible threat to U.S. security or an area
count him.
that is a safe haven for terrorists.”
In a report Monday, the Associated Press,
Bennett was obviously improvising a bit
relying on the research of University of North
at that point and did not have the facts at her
Carolina professor Charles Kurzman, reported
fingertips. Robart would have none of that.
that “23 percent of Muslim Americans
“Well, let me walk you back, then,” Robart involved with extremist plots since Sept.
said. “You’re from the Department of Justice,
11 had family backgrounds from the seven
if I understand correctly?”
countries.”
“Yes.”
The bottom line is, Robart’s confident
“So you’re aware of law enforcement.
assertion to Bennett was wrong.
How many arrests have there been of foreign
In her exchange with the judge, Bennett
nationals for those seven countries since
tried to argue that the Constitution and the
9/11?”
law make clear that the president is the
“Your honor, I don’t have that information. person charged with making national security
I’m from the civil division, if that helps get me decisions like those in the Trump executive
off the hook.”
order.
“Let me tell you,” Robart said. “The
“Your honor, I think the point is that
answer to that is none, as best I can tell.
because this is a question of foreign affairs,
So, I mean, you’re here arguing on behalf
because this is an area where Congress has
of someone President Trump that says: We
delegated authority to the president to make
have to protect the United States from these
these determinations, it’s the president that
individuals coming from these countries, and
gets to make the determinations,” Bennett
there’s no support for that.”
said. “And the court doesn’t have authority to
In that brief moment, Robart declared there look behind those determinations.”
is “no support” for Trump’s decision. And
Robart strongly disagreed, and stopped the
with that, the judge from the U.S. District
president’s order. After all, he knew best.
Court for the Western District of Washington
■
State ordered a nationwide — actually
Byron York is chief political correspondent
worldwide — halt to enforcement of the
for The Washington Examiner.
At least 380 of
the 580 people
convicted of
terror-related
offenses since
9/11 were
foreign-born.
YOUR VIEWS
Trump a president of action,
targeted by the press
EOTEC saved county millions
in upgrades to old fairgrounds
What makes the average taxpayer more
outraged — the food stamp-carrying, paid
protest marchers or the “know-it-all” media
telling industrious working-class people what
they should do or think?
Thank goodness the majority of everyday
citizens are too busy making ends meet while
also doing what is best for their families and
community or the whole nation could implode.
By what unquestionable mandate does the
East Oregonian managing editor have the
authority to declare “a man unfit for the task”
when talking about the President of the United
States? The vetting process for political office
is sometimes a farce. Along with others, Nixon
was forced to resign and then there was the
impeachment proceedings for Bill Clinton.
We gave Obama eight years to get things right
and very little was accomplished while the
national debt soared and a health care mandate
proved to be a burden for many. Yet the media
lauded Obama’s presidency even when both
he, then-Secretary of State Clinton and his
whole administration lied to the public about
the Bengazi disaster.
Now the liberal press is determined to
destroy Trump without even giving him a
chance even though he has already proven that
he is a man of action.
The Pendleton City Council must be
relieved. Pendleton’s expert on everything
Rick Rohde has paused in criticizing
Pendleton city government and turned his
crosshairs on the county commissioners, the
city of Hermiston and EOTEC. His tortured
arguments are hard to follow, but I deduce he
dislikes the commissioners doing anything
monetarily to assist EOTEC.
Mr. Rohde’s ignorance about EOTEC is
profound. A major reason EOTEC is being
built is to provide a home to the Umatilla
County Fair. If left at the old fairgrounds, the
county would have had to expend $8 million of
county money to bring a woefully inadequate
site up to code. He also overlooks $9.8 million
in state grants contributed to build EOTEC and
$2 million raised from private donors.
Over the last eight years, I have attended
almost every meeting related to EOTEC. To
my knowledge, Mr. Rohde has never been to
one of them.
Merlyn Robinson
Heppner
George Anderson
Hermiston
LETTERS POLICY
The East Oregonian welcomes original let-
ters of 400 words or less on public issues
and public policies. Send letters to 211 S.E.
Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email
editor@eastoregonian.com.