Sen. Lee,
You and your colleagues in the Senate are, in many important ways, the first line of defense in protecting American democracy. You already know that the president’s recent remarks contained disturbing claims about election tampering that have been widely discredited by thousands of election officials, poll watchers, independent experts and news agencies. I believe his words will have the effect of emboldening vigilante groups and increasing the likelihood of violent protests in the days ahead.
The campaign is over. It is time for you to unite your fellow Republican senators in condemning the president’s baseless remarks and to use your influence to unite the country. I am 100% supportive of the president pursuing every legal means necessary to ensure that the vote count is accurate and fair, but dishonest accusations about Democratic National Convention tampering do nothing but fuel the fire of division and hate.
I am aware that you already made a statement about being patient while votes are counted. Please let the country know that the president’s remarks are baseless and dangerous. If you do not say anything and violence ensues, I believe you and your colleagues will be complicit. I also believe the effect will be much more potent before a winner is called, and not after.
Rob Swenson, Pleasant Grove