Letters to the Editor: What is Mitch McConnell trying to hide on impeachment?

What’s he hiding?

If this impeachment is such a scam, I wonder why Sen. Mitch McConnell is trying to limit the House and Senate presentations to 24 hours over two days and impeding the production of witnesses and documents. Most of the witnesses are former or present members of this administration, so why not bring them all in. Surely they will provide the information that will prove to everyone that the president did not do this. Or maybe McConnell is trying to fast track only the third impeachment in the history of the United States of America to hide what happened. Just wondering …

Denise Combs, Hazard

McConnell must go

I would like to send a shout-out to Sen. Mitch McConnell to thank him for his years of service to our country and our state. I think he has done some good things for Kentucky. Perhaps he should now consider retirement.

In the past, I have voted for him; I will not be doing so in the future. He has put the Republican Party and his desire for power and money above what is best for the people and the country. By refusing to allow discussion and voting on bipartisan bills brought to the Senate, by refusing to allow a nominated judicial candidate to even be considered, by wielding his influence over the GOP, he has obstructed the processes put in place by our founding fathers.

He has abdicated the responsibility of maintaining the balance of power between the three branches of our government by aligning himself so closely with the president that Mr. Trump feels empowered to basically do whatever he wants. Trump is trying to usurp powers that constitutionally belong to Congress, and McConnell and others are letting him do it.

If McConnell follows through with his intentions to break his sworn oath of impartiality in the impeachment trial, perhaps he should also be impeached.

Joyce DeAeth, Lexington

Like us — not

Just saw the first of no doubt many political ads touting Sen. Mitch McConnell and how he stands with us. I thought it interesting when he said he would stand and fight for us against government-run healthcare. I would no doubt bet that while Mitch is standing there in jeans that look like us, in his wallet he had no doubt a government-run healthcare card — Medicare. Yeah, Mitch is like us. Sort of.

Bob Sutton, Springfield

Meanwhile, at home . . .

It seems that Sen. Mitch McConnell thinks he is doing a bang-up job as Kentucky’s senator. He is a big deal in Washington so the folks back home should be delighted that he holds such an important position. We know him by his visits in election years. How about a chicken in every pot or some other outward sign of his dedication to the home state?

Cheryl Keenan, Lexington

Inconsistent actions

Regarding the present impeachment process, Sen. Mitch McConnell has pointed out that gathering evidence is the proper role of the House of Representatives; that the Senate’s role is to consider the charges brought.

McConnell has a point — but his insistence on purity of legal process is curious, because in other areas of this impeachment, he has abandoned all consideration of legal principle. His direct coordination with President Donald Trump is analogous to a court coordinating exclusively with one party to a case at trial — in fact, it’s analogous to a jury member coordinating with one side.

In a court, that would violate bedrock legal principles intended to preserve critical impartiality. I wonder if McConnell is not such a legal purist after all.

Many details of impeachment procedure are left to the judgment of Congress.The Senate is well able to set rules permitting additional documents or testimony. Many would say that the American people deserve the fullest possible evaluation of this situation.

It’s difficult to see a good reason for charting a path in the Senate that is knowingly avoidant of existing relevant information. I call on McConnell to lead impartially, with a view toward Congress’s foremost responsibility: that to the American people.

David Farris, Lexington

Justice trussed

Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye!

With the help of Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sen. Lindsey Graham and the Republican Senate in the impeachment trial of President Donald John Trump, justice will not only be blindfolded but deaf and dumb too.

Judy Rembacki, Georgetown