To the Editor:
Second Opinion: The Committee.
Did you grow up on a fruit farm in Camarillo, Martin? Because you are a cherry-picker of epic skill. And once you read a “fact” that you support, no matter that subsequent information falsifies it, you won’t budge, evidence be damned. You know that it is near-impossible to prove a negative and show that an event (a stolen election) did not occur; the proofs would be endless. So, bring on again your “authorities” who say the voter tallies had to be false. Ignore that the certified election results, audits, government officials of both Parties, and every court in the land have determined otherwise.
The only reason I would like to become a really, really old person is that I would like to see how History treats the anti-democratic forces in our country. Will they finally bring down our experiment in democracy, after 250 years or so, or will the electorate finally see and understand what one of the political parties became and tried to do to America?
The attempt to wrestle democracy from the nation began long before a “blow-dried show dog” and TV carnival-barker bewitched half the nation with his braggadocio, crassness, understanding that people love a show and will gladly trade reality for entertainment, and that the alchemy of fear, victimization, and resentment can be a powerful motivating force.
The House Select Committee is investigating the activities of January 6, 2021. Martin has insisted that nothing beyond the actual Event should be investigated, that all other considerations are irrelevant. I don’t blame him for wanting blinders, because the revelations are beyond anything most of us had imagined. The coup that Trump and his minions planned, to prove The Big Lie that he was reelected, was nearly successfully executed.
The plan began in June, 2020, with Trump warning that, if he were not reelected, the election would necessarily be fraudulent. Trump appointed election cyber security expert Christopher Krebs who, from all reports, did an excellent job. COVID required the broader use of absentee ballots to avoid public exposure. But Trump had not fooled all of the people all of the time, and a late Demo and disaffected Repo push for Biden successfully defeated the incumbent. Trump was unbelieving that his elections czar and political adulation did not win the day. His inability to “lose” precipitated The Big Lie that he had won.
There’s not the space here to list all the newly-discovered pre-January 6 Trump-Republican plans to invalidate tallies, appoint fraudulent Trump electors to replace Biden’s legitimate electors, the muscling of local officials to have votes “found” (Raspenberger, GA), or the threats to VP Pence. Court cases, including those filed with SCOTUS, were dismissed. Crazy allegations emerged from Trump representatives Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, for which he was disbarred and she was censured by the courts, for alleging matters they knew, or should have known, were lies.
You may remember several Repo congressionals denouncing the insurrection the day after the Event, (Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell were two) blaming Trump for directing and encouraging people to go to the Capitol and prevent a Constitutionally-required process. Investigation was demanded. But the Committee eventually secured tapes of the Event, and other evidence showing likely Repo congressional mob encouragement or assistance, and possible presidential involvement in the attack on the Capitol. It was a bad look for the GOP.
So, in the interests of the Party and not the country, they tried to stonewall the House Committee. But two House Republicans, Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), defied McCarthy and joined the Committee. Last week, the Republican National Committee censured Cheney and Kinzinger for participating in the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol insurrection. Cheney responded defiantly: "I’m a constitutional conservative and I do not recognize those in my party who have abandoned the Constitution to embrace Donald Trump. History will be their judge."
I’d like to be here for that.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore

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To the Editor:
Kelly, I believe you made an assumption when you stated “A cache of guns and ammunition was located across the river for use when needed.”. I was unable to confirm this statement and wonder if you got that information from CNN. You assume they were to be used by those who attended the rally, but actually, you do not know who owned or for what use the guns were intended. Keep in mind that the FBI told the Senate they did NOT recover any guns at the Capitol. I’ve always wondered how can individuals who were not carrying guns overthrow the government? Deaths did occur to many who were on the Capitol grounds. Except for Capitol Police Officer Byrd who shot Babbitt, suspects of the other victims who died have yet to be identified.
As for your comment concerning BLM and Antifa, your position leaves one to assume you are in support of death and destruction these groups caused, and continue to cause, since your words defend their actions as you say, “they are advocating for their civil rights”. They used paintball guns to hurl large ball bearings and golf balls, lasers which blinded officers, as well as guns. Using your definition, these groups are domestic terrorists as they used violence to overthrow the government by burning public buildings and killing police officers as well as citizens.
The mayoral leadership in those cities who saw BLM violence (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas/Fort Worth, Des Moines, Denver, Detroit, DC, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Memphis, New York, Phoenix, Portland) incentivized the continuation of the violence and destruction by not denouncing them. Note those cities listed are all led by democrats. If this was truly to advocate for civil rights as you say why not call on the ACLU as you suggested?
More than 25 people were killed in the Portland riots of 2020. Of the 96 arrested 47 had their cases dropped, 10 plead guilty and two were held for trial, which have yet to occur - they are out on bail. The penalty most received was community service. Under the letter of the law, the treatment of these 96 should have been the same as those inside the Capitol, or vis-a-versa.
With all the issues that Biden has yet to confront, you only want to talk about J6. How about you let the J6 “commission” finish its work then post comments. Why not address the other issues most care about - the economy, the boarder crises, and foreign policy.
Patti Walker,
Fillmore