We the jury find the defendent Donald Trump guilty but Republicans cannot accept the rule of law

The Columbus Dispatch:  "After seven weeks and a heap of evidence, the verdict in the Donald Trump trial came down to fewer than 12 hours of deliberation and a single word uttered 34 times.
"Guilty❗", Amelia Robinson.

Echo opinion letter published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle newspaper, in Bozeman Montana.

Republican reaction to Trump conviction is dangerous and sad.

Sadly.😙😢...no surprise that all Republicans currently running for state-wide offices in Montana have declared the conviction of Donald Trump in New York STATE court a “sham” orchestrated by the Biden administration. Hilarious — since they have no knowledge of, and cite no evidence of (1) any errors by the judge in conducting the trial; (2) any irregularities by the jury in deliberating or reaching its verdict; (3) any control or influence of President Biden or any other US official over a proceeding in NY STATE court brought by NY STATE prosecutors.

The only basis for their wrongminded, false and totally unsupported statements is their desire to show their loyalty to Trump and his “base” (voters who will support him to the end, no matter what misdeeds, misstatements, and outright lies he has been proven to have done or stated). Ignore the fact that the justice system grants everyone the right to a fair trial, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt (which the judge would have told the jury before they began their deliberations), and the right to an appeal to the STATE Supreme Court (and SCOTUS). However, since such appeals will not be filed and decided until long after the 2024, elections, the political calculus is to show blind allegiance to The Boss in the meantime, in order to guarantee election by those demonstrating allegiance.

When are Trump’s voting supporters going to wake up and realize that the only “FACTS” supporting Donald Trump are his continuous lies and misstatements, which are blindly re-stated by his supporters and political minions only out of their own self interest? Wake up and do your own research using unbiased sources of information. Rely on real FACTS to make up your minds — not biased statements of blind loyalty. 😠

From Mickey Smotherman, in Bozeman Montana

Americans waiting to hear more - under oath- from Stormy Daniels at Trump's trial in Manhattan

Stormy Daniels and the Comeuppance of Donald Trump.

Echo opinion published in The New York Times by Jessica Bennett.

Sometimes, I lie awake at night wondering whether Donald Trump is afraid. (Maine Writer disclosure- I also😡😳😏 lie awake wondering how much longer Americans are going to ignore the dangerous Donald Trump!)

Does he think he’ll go to jail? Lose his fortune? Does he sleep easier after ranting in ALL CAPS on Truth (#fakenews😕) Social?

Surely I’m not the only one losing sleep over the threat this man poses to the country. (You are not alone!) But, lately, as I perversely scroll through the news on my phone, I’ve had a comforting thought: Mr. Trump is probably obsessing, too.

His Truth (#fakenews) Social account indicated as much last week. Mr. Trump posted a picture of a statement by Stormy Daniels, the erotic film star and a central figure in his hush money trial in Manhatan. In the statement, dated 2018, Ms. Daniels denies that the two ever had an affair (a statement she has since recanted). Mr. Trump, in his Truth (#fakenews) Social post, writes: “LOOK WHAT WAS JUST FOUND! WILL THE FAKE NEWS REPORT IT?”

Trump givess editorial cartoonists reason to imagine hush money and 'stormy' weather. (The Columbus Dispatch)

(To be clear, Trump, the 2018, statement was widely reported at the time- IOW not "just found".....😟😈)

Trumpti-Dumpti may be running for president of the United States, but it’s not American voters who are on his mind. 

Watching and listening to him for years now, reading him on social media and, more recently, observing his behavior in the face of criminal charges and civil lawsuits, I come away with the surreal yet frankly inspiring conclusion that this very powerful man has become consumed with the “nasty” women who are at long last holding him to account.

Sometimes I lie awake at night wondering whether Donald Trump is afraid.

Does he think he’ll go to jail? Lose his fortune? Does he sleep easier after ranting in ALL CAPS on Truth (#fakenews) Social?

Surely I’m not the only one losing sleep over the threat this man poses to the country. But lately, as I perversely scroll through the news on my phone, I’ve had a comforting thought:  Trump is probably obsessing, too.

His Truth (#fakenews!)Social account indicated as much last week. Trump posted a picture of a statement by Stormy Daniels, the erotic film star and a central figure in his hush money trial that is set to begin on Monday. In the statement, dated 2018, Ms. Daniels denies that the two ever had an affair (a statement she has since recanted). Trump, in his Truth Social post, writes: “LOOK WHAT WAS JUST FOUND! WILL THE FAKE NEWS REPORT IT?” (To be clear,  Trump, the 2018, statement was widely reported at the time.)

Trumpti-Dumpti may be running for president of the United States, but it’s not American voters who are on his mind. Watching and listening to him for years now, reading him on social media and, more recently, observing his behavior in the face of criminal charges and civil lawsuits, I come away with the surreal yet frankly inspiring conclusion that this very powerful man has become consumed with the “nasty” women who are at long last holding him to account.

Letitia James. Fani Willis. E. Jean Carroll, and her lawyer Roberta Kaplan. And, of course, Stormy Daniels. The five women who are living rent-free in Trump’s (delusional!)mind these days.

If my middle-of-the-night Truth (#fakenews!) Social tours are any guide, Mr. Trump wakes up not infrequently to the thought of Ms. James, the attorney general of New York, and calling her names like “Peekaboo.” He seems to think about her, and the civil fraud case she brought against him, during the day, too — sometimes driven to post about her “big, nasty and ugly mouth,” or draft campaign emails about her “filthy hands,” which he seems to think are furiously casting a spell in the “witch hunt” against him.

Then there is Ms. Daniels, who says she is “absolutely ready” to testify against Trump — a scenario his lawyers had been desperately trying to avoid, seemingly worried about her embarrassing their client on the stand. (Trump denied the affair and the charges.) She is also the subject of a sympathetic new documentary, “Stormy,” in which she describes the toll that the whole ordeal has taken on her, and details odd superstitions that Trump apparently has about his hair.

Ms. Willis, of course, is leading the Georgia election interference case against Mr. Trump, who is still trying to get her removed from the case. Ms. Carroll won an $83.3 million defamation case against him and is threatening to sue again, and Ms. Kaplan has a long history of going head-to-head with the former president (and winning).

Women. I suspect, he never thought they would be the ones to corner him, making the case about his craven and possibly criminal behavior. Trump has long treated women as objects, targets, supplicants; everyone knows the “Access Hollywood” recording, but he has demeaned and degraded them for years, as Megan Twohey and Michael Barbaro documented in The Times in 2016. He seems to mostly associate women with sex — they are “driving me crazy,” he said of all the “beautiful women” at a recent event at Mar-a-Lago — or with spite (see how he treated Nikki Haley, Megyn Kelly, Hillary Clinton and others). He will woo them, he will grab them, he will scorn them, he will mix them up, he will call them names. But he never took them as much of a threat, until now.

Republican Jim Jordan is obviously math challenged - "You don't have the votes!"

Echo opinion published in The Columbus Dispatch

 In the end, U.S. Rep Jim Jordan (GymJimJorday) did not tap out of his race to be U.S. House speaker. His party pinned him to the mat.

The former Ohio State University wrestling coach (IOW: #GYMJimJordan) clearly had not listened to the song "Cabinet Battle#1" from "Hamilton: The Musical."*

If the Urbana Republican had, the lyric "You don't have the votes (you don't have the votes)" would have played in his head long before he decided to continue his sad and doomed from the start fight to win the House speaker's gavel recently snatched right out of Rep. Kevin McCarthy hands.

Perhaps if he had, he would have not once again embarrassed the heck out of other Ohioans.

Jordan lost 25 Republicans votes in the third round of voting early Friday. Democrats remained united behind Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

In a private GOP caucus vote after that floor vote, only 86 Republican stuck with Jordan. Another 112 voted to drop him.

More:Republicans are saying 'hell no' to Jim Jordan. Let's hope it stays that way.

Jordan is not done. We shall see what shenanigans he gets into next.

*Hamilton, take a walk, we're gonna reconvene after a brief recess, Hamilton.....… Sir
… A word
… You don't have the votes (you don't have the votes)
… Aha-ha-ha ha
… You're gonna need congressional approval and you don't have the votes
Such a blunder sometimes it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder
… Why he even brings the thunder
… You wanna pull yourself together?
… I'm sorry, these Virginians are birds of a feather
… Young man, I'm from Virginia, so watch your mouth
… So we let Congress get held hostage by the South?
… You need the votes ❗

Victims of gun violence are not dry statistics. Gun violence victims are human beings with families

Echo opinion published in The Columbus Dispatch, an Ohio newspaper:

Opinion:  Every victim of gun violence was somebody’s son or daughter. 

Safety starts in home:  "Every victim of gun violence was somebody’s son or daughter, and it’s time that we each do our part in shaping a safer community for the next generation," Amber Estis

Amber Estis is the founding principal of The Shepard School by Eagle Community Schools of Ohio and served as an educator for over 17 years.

Two months after welcoming my son into the world, I often find myself picturing the life-altering milestones that lie before him.

I slip into daydreams about his first steps, graduations, and other happy moments that will define his childhood and my journey as a new mom. Like so many other Black parents though, I know that I must prepare him for the unique dangers that lie ahead, particularly those posed by gun violence.

Today, Black children in America are 13 times more likely than white kids to be hospitalized from firearm-related injuries. So, as a school principal responsible for the safety of 105 children – including 104 young Black scholars – gun safety is naturally at the top of my list of concerns.

This priority has been reinforced by recent gun-related incidents in several local schools that have convinced both Columbus-area parents, educators, and lawmakers alike to take another look at how best to keep our children safe.

Let's encourage lawmakers to lay the the groundwork for responsible, de-escalatory solutions to gun violence.

I have come to realize that the fight doesn’t stop at the schoolhouse, or even the statehouse — the latest battle in the fight against gun violence is under our own roofs. It is painful enough that we lose around 1,300 kids to gun violence every year.

But, few know that nearly 12% of these fatalities are a result of an accidental shooting. Further, these horrific events often take place at the home of a friend or loved one — with 40% of these accidents involving children aged 11 to 14 happening at a peer’s home and a relative or guardian’s weapon.

We handed out gun locks to parents and asked our students to sign a pledge in classrooms, with learning stations corresponding to each part of the 5-part oath. 

Columbus Division of Police officers also instructed our scholars on how best to communicate with 9-1-1 operators in the event of an accident to ensure mistakes do not turn fatal.

Instilling these potentially life-saving lessons in a secure location is critical to making progress on this issue, and we were proud to have received enough positive feedback from participants to plan on hosting the event again next year.

While making tangible progress on this national issue often seems overwhelming, it is critical that leaders in the classroom, out in the community, and within the halls of government take readily available, concrete steps to help us move forward.

Environments that emphasize safety, awareness, and caution regarding firearms, like the one my staff and I have worked tirelessly to foster on our campus, better prepare our children for the often-violent world in which we live.

Every victim of gun violence was somebody’s son or daughter, and it’s time that we each do our part in shaping a safer community for the next generation.

Amber Estis is the founding principal of The Shepard School by Eagle Community Schools of Ohio and has served as an educator for over 17 years. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in human development and family science from The Ohio State University and a Master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University.

Supreme Court rulings Roe v. Wade now endorsing religious policies

This echo opinion raises the spectre of the elephant in the abortion policy room.  In fact, religious zealots forced the Supreme Court wrong minded decision to revoke Roe v. Wade, a decision that protected women from being victimized by illegal abortions.  This "pro-life" anti-abortion momentum has been funded, motivated by, advocated for and now will be enforced by Christian religious groups:

Decision makes a mockery of court- Echo opinion letter published in The Columbus Dispatch:

The Supreme Court’s recent overturn of Roe v. Wade is one of, if not the worst, decisions made by the Supreme Court in modern history. Not only does it make a women in 2022, have less control over their bodies then they did in the 70s, which is almost incomprehensible, but it’s also exposed the grievous faults and clear problems in the United States, especially with its longest institutions and ideals. 

In other words, the Supreme Court, designed to be non-partisan in interpreting law, has overrun the court with American “Christianity”, leading to an erosion of the core American ideal of separation of church and state. I respect all religious beliefs and think religion is great, but this goes beyond just religion. 

And, make no mistake, this issue is not a Democratic or Republican issue, but an American one.

This court decision makes a mockery of the independence of the Supreme Court and directly enforces religion upon millions of Americans. The nine justices who swore an oath to non-partisanship have essentially stomped on the Constitution. It seems as if the people who claim they love America the most are actually the ones celebrating the downfall of a cornerstone of American freedom.

Charles K. Quinn, Columbus, Ohio

Guns cause preventable violent deaths of innocent people

Question to Senator Ted Cruz who believes the response to preventable gun violence caused by shootings are liberal "theater"*.  So, my question to Senator Cruz is to ask him to identify what "theater" produced these two preventable gun violence murders? 

Gun violence deaths due to road rage!

• Innocent six year old shot while sitting in a car seat in his mother's car

• Innocent baseball coach shot in the head Minnesota while driving with his teenage son in the car  

These heinous murders are entirely preventable!

An echo opinion letter published in The Columbus Dispatch, an Ohio newspaper, calls for "gun riddance". 

Only way to end gun violence is to take away guns

I’m still waiting for U.S. leaders to do something bold to stem gun violence, namely confiscate (perhaps with compensation) most guns in public hands. Exceptions could be made, e.g. certain ranchers. Allow no guns to enter the country. As lethal guns disappeared, even law enforcement could eventually do without them. Especially considering advanced less lethal subduing methods of stun guns, chemical sprays and lasso/tethering guns.

It is (Maine Writer- extremely!) doubtful Second Amendment writers who composed the U.S. Constitution imagined the destructiveness of modern day guns. It is archaic and should be amended.

Gun riddance would save societal costs of: gun threat responses, shooting victim sufferings, gun control systems, gun use abuser incarcerations and gun-proofing buildings. Guns belong only in museums as relics.

Until guns are killed, who’ll be the next accidental or deliberate gun victim?

Bill Allman, Columbus, Ohio

*WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reignited the fight between Democrats and Republicans Tuesday over gun control by criticizing Democrats for “ridiculous theater”.... (Austin- American Statesman newspaper...)

Ukranian-American alliance echo opinion calls on Senator Portman

Echo letter from Ohio opens the question to Senator Rob Portman.  Will the Ohio senator continue to support the Ohio-Ukranian point of view to protect American national security against Russia by voting to impeach Donald Trump? This letter writer has confidence in Senator Portman. But from me? Not so much. 

Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman- two Ukrainian thugs who were directed by Rudy Giuliani to dig up political dirt on behalf of Donald Trump.  Does Ohio Senator Portman support this kind of shadow foreign policy?  His impeachment vote will tell #TruthExposed

This letter was published in The Columbus Dispatch 

Obviously, many are interested in the proceedings on Capitol Hill that unearths the details of U.S.-Ukraine interactions. Yet, in the past few months, not too many people seem to be concerned that there was a possibility that the U.S. strategic partner Ukraine might not have received such well-needed military aid to help in its fight with Russia. (Because of the Donald Trump #bribery "quid pro quo")

Again, Ukraine was used as a pawn in a larger international game. If Ukraine falls, who would be next? How much ground would we lose to an authoritarian regime making headway in influencing democratic processes around the world?

It is in the context of the strategic importance of Ukraine that I thank Sen. Rob Portman for his leadership in helping support Ukraine’s democracy and safety against Russian aggression by successfully urging the president to release $400 million in security assistance.

I know Portman remains committed to advocating on behalf of the Ukrainian-American community here in Ohio and in Washington.

(Well.......Senator Portman will have his chance to show if the constituent who wrote this letter is correct in this assessment about "advocating on behalf" of supporting the Ukranian-American alliance.)

Marianna Klochko, from Powell Ohio