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Letter: Amash has the courage to stand up to Trump. Where is everyone else?

U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, holds a town hall meeting at Grand Rapids Christian High School's DeVos Center for Arts and Worship on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The congressman came under scrutiny May 18 when he posted a series of Tweets to outline his support for impeachment proceedings. As such, he is the only Republican congress member to do so. The following days brought an announcement from the wealthy DeVos family about no longer supporting him financially. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)

Thank you, Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., for showing the stellar courage to stand up without the backing of your political party. You formed an opinion that there is, right now, sufficient cause to proceed with impeachment. Your moral compass apparently needs no congressional testimony from Mr. Mueller to direct it.

Mr. Amash, you have exercised the leadership your constituents elected you to show. Thank you for representing them. For the remaining worthy, esteemed representatives and senators serving the American people, you, too, have adequate evidence. You, too, have a moral compass of your own. This is why we elected you. To lead! What on earth or your waiting for? Why are you protecting the president? Could you please calculate the severe damage to our republic that results from your inaction?

It’s just this, if you don’t take a stand, future leaders of American democracy will have President Trump’s legacy as an example. You, as our representative and senators, will have clearly upheld this disgraceful legacy, because it was in your power in 2019 to act, and you did nothing.

This will usher in precedent for decades to come, to overlook the president’s breach of the public trust and, worse, to overlook lying, boorishness and crooked behavior in government. Is this the kind of America you want?

If you are a lifelong Republican, consider that Trump isn’t even that. In the 1980s, he was a Democrat. He cares mostly about business, and Vladimir Putin has been thrilled to cultivate and exploit this narcissism. Meanwhile, Putin’s larger aim is to destabilize our democracy and that of Europe, throwing the free world to the dogs.

Please wake up!

Heather Dorrell, Salt Lake City

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