I have participated in many presidential elections over the years. Sometimes my preferred candidate won, at other times my candidate lost. Whatever the result, I was always reassured by the fact that the president-elect cared deeply about our country, our people, and our laws.

Today, we have a President we cannot trust to tell the truth; in fact, he has told over 15,000 lies since taking office. This president cares only about himself, thrives on creating chaos and division among the citizens he is supposed to serve, and above all, flaunts his lawlessness.

Anyone who has “read the transcript” and followed testimony during the congressional hearings realizes that serious impeachable acts have been committed.

Inviting election interference by a foreign country violates our constitution. Ignoring subpoenas and prohibiting witness testimony obstructs justice and violates the rule of law, a rule the rest of us are required to obey.

One of the most important tenants of our democracy is that the law applies to all of us.

Surely Americans aren’t willing to abandon this principle. If the president is permitted to coordinate with his jury by withholding evidence and deciding which witnesses are permitted to testify, our laws are meaningless.

Every American should demand that the impeachment trial include subpoenaed documents and witnesses. An innocent defendant certainly would.

Connie Fleeger, Butler