An Open Letter To Congressman Lawler

Dear Mr. Lawler,

How about, for a change, you grow a pair!

Yes, the abduction of Nicholas Maduro was a brilliant military operation. And, yes, Maduro is a bad actor, a brutal dictator who deserves whatever he may get. By the way, how do you justify trying Maduro for drug trafficking in a U.S. court when just a few weeks ago, President Trump pardoned the former president of Honduras who was convicted of drug trafficking in just such a U.S. court. I guess Trump likes Hernandez but doesn’t like Maduro. Just sayin’.

But the problem isn’t Maduro’s character, or lack thereof. The raid was conducted in violation of U.S. law, international law, the U.S. Constitution, international precedents, and without any consultation with, or approval from, the U.S. Congress. Do you intend to speak out publicly against such a usurpation of authority by the President? Judging by your past history, I would think not.

Is this really any different from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine? Is it any different from China’s potential annexation of Taiwan? How do we morally oppose those actions while “invading” Venezuela and “running” the country (whatever that may mean) for an indefinite period. Please enlighten me, Mr. Lawler, because I can’t figure out a way to do it.

You always portray yourself as a bi-partisan moderate, acting only in the interests of your constituents. But when the chips are down, when important issues arise, you vote MAGA on every occasion. Yes, you are a liar. Yes, you are a hypocrite. But worse than these, you are a coward. A craven coward who puts your political career above the good of the American people. You continually support a wild man who will turn us into a dictatorship if he is not stopped by the do-nothing, hide-in-shame Republican Congress. You know well that if you oppose the authority in the party (here, read Trump) you may be primaried this summer or otherwise prohibited from running for your seat. And you can’t let that happen, can you? You can’t possibly marshal the courage to voice your convictions and publicly demand a halt to the imperious actions of our renegade President before it is too late. That’s just too much to ask.

I am hardly a supporter of Marjorie Taylor Greene, but I have to respect her courage, and decency, in defying the President, even at the sacrifice of her own political career. Can we expect the same moral conviction from you? Hah! Not from the gutless wonder of Rockland County.

You would do your constituents, and the nation, a great service by resigning your seat in advance of this fall’s election. But we all know that this won’t happen. You are too focused on your own career, the country be damned. So our only alternative is to ensure that you are not returned to the Congress in November and that you are given the opportunity to spend more time with your family.

I, for one, shall do whatever I can to make this a reality.

Sincerely,

Joel E. Gingold\