"Congressman Faso's dark money" Letter to the Editor Tom Denton

Congressman Faso’s Dark Money

On August 31 I attended the Esopus Town Hall meeting with Congressman John Faso (19^th district).  He fielded many questions, but one of his responses was jarring.  One individual noted Faso’s earlier expressed desire for civility in our national dialogue and described her great concern about the hateful messages purveyed on Breitbart News, the prominent platform for alt-right extremists..  She then asked if he would no longer accept campaign money from the billionaire Robert Mercer, who generously funds Breitbart.  To loud groans, he replied that he personally has never read Breitbart.  He followed by saying that he had never heard Mercer say anything racist or discriminatory.  More groans.  He refused to disassociate himself from Mercer.

            Congressman Faso’s dodge drew on the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” defense.  It will not wash.  There are few politically engaged Americans who are unaware of Breitbart’s content, whether they’ve read it “personally” or not.  Most probably haven’t read Mein Kampf personally either, but they know what it spewed.  Steve Bannon came to Trump’s administration  from Breitbart, and he returned to it the day he was bounced from the White House.  We can be confident that “civility” is not a value Bannon has ever cherished.

            Congressman Faso can’t credibly deplore the hatred marching in Charlottesville while he accepts campaign money from those who fund the most uncivil voices in America.  He might want to find the time to read Breitbart. 

Publishing History

Poughkeepsie Journal             9/6 online

New Paltz Times                    9/7

Times Herald-Record             9/11

"The Pivot" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

The Pivot

            Those who voted reluctantly for Donald Trump but wanted to “give him a chance” expressed confidence that, once in office, he would “pivot”:  he would govern within the bounds of historical precedence and the norms of presidential behavior.  Although he pledged to be disruptive, we would see productive change; the American story would forge ahead.

            Seven months into his presidency, we see a backward pivot perhaps not anticipated by his supporters.  Two recent events—Trump’s responses to the Charlottesville conflagration and his pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio—inescapably reinforce a pattern evident since his inauguration but now shifted to new extremes.  The president will inflame divisive passions in the American citizenry to advance his political strategies.  With his latest actions he has set a match to conflicts about race and deepened doubts that he honors the rule of law.  Did his reluctant supporters anticipate that, once elected, he would continue to appease his extremist far right supporters for the sake of holding his base?  That he would flout customary judicial procedures to send signals to those who approved of Arpaio’s flagrant abuses of the law?

            Think back to October, 2016 when Trump raged daily that the election was “rigged” by nebulous forces supporting “crooked Hillary.”  He left no doubt that were he to lose, he would trash the constitutional system upon which our country’s government is based.  Trump issued then his warning that the only values he held sacred were those worshipped in the temple of Trump.  Were you listening?

Publishing history

Albany Times Union             9/4