Linda Terwilliger: Trump and allies are clear and present danger to American democracy

To The Daily Sun,

During the Jan. 6 hearings, we learned that former President Donald Trump orchestrated an illegal scheme to stay in power after the American people voted him out. A federal judge said that Trump very likely committed serious federal crimes as he sought to overturn the election.

Former President Trump’s continuous stream of false election fraud claims were the basis for his multi-step plot to overturn the 2020 elections, which included the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Trump knew there was no evidence to support his claims whatsoever. He knew his scheme was illegal. Still, he relentlessly pressured Mike Pence to block or delay the certification of the electoral votes during the joint session of Congress.

Pence consistently refused to comply, rightly explaining that he had no constitutional or legal authority to do it. On Jan. 6, Trump recklessly put Pence’s life in terrible danger.

The videos of the coordinated assault on the Capitol were horrifying.

We heard the mob chanting “hang Pence” over and over. We saw a gallows and noose erected outside the Capitol. We watched the rioters bludgeon and beat the police and storm the Capitol.

We listened as some Proud Boys said they were prepared to murder Pence.

Others said they stormed the Capitol because Trump told them to do it.

White House officials called Trump’s plan “crazy,” “nuts,” and “absurd.”

Retired Judge J. Michael Luttig, a conservative legal expert for the Republican party, said, “This is constitutional mischief.” He called Trump’s plan to overturn the election "the most reckless, insidious, and calamitous failures in both legal and political judgement in American history.”

We should heed Judge Luttig’s ominous warning, “Donald Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy.” They are already executing a plot for 2024 in plain view.

Linda Terwilliger

Gilford