Of all the actions that President Trump took during his first week in office, one had me reaching for my blood pressure pills — the executive pardon for all the convicted Jan. 6, 2021 rioters. This included persons who physically assaulted 140 police officers.

Two of the most notorious persons included in the pardons were Stewart Rhodes and Enrique Tarrio, leaders of the far-right militia groups the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Rhodes and Tarrio were convicted of seditious conspiracy, a conspiracy to use force to oppose the functioning of our government, receiving sentences of 18 years and 22 years, respectively. This is not a misdemeanor offense.

Republican members of Congress, who for years have claimed to be the party of law and order, should be ashamed of themselves. The lack of their response to the pardoning of persons responsible for violence on Jan. 6, 2021, was basically giving a middle-finger salute to the D.C. Capitol Police.

Yet, if anyone were to criticize police officers over their actions in doing their duty, these persons were immediately declared to be disrespectful of law enforcement by Republicans. I think this meets the definition of hypocrisy. Republican members of Congress should please not offer any more finger-wagging lectures on having respect for the law or police officers.

One hopes that members of the Republican Party will eventually summon up the courage to confront Trump when his actions are so obviously wrong.

Samuel Rosenthal
Portland

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