January 16, 2020
My name is Brooke Nelson, and I am a lawyer and a mom of two young children.
My name is Tracy Nuttall, and I am also a lawyer and mother.
We are members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. We are here today representing the over 7,000 members of our organization.
We are Republicans. We are Democrats. We are Independents and the unaffiliated. Our combined voices represent the majority of American voters, and we believe that as voters, we have a duty to remind our government leaders of their obligation to govern in truth.
The overwhelming evidence brought to light in recent investigative efforts regarding our president, including documents, witness statements, and even today’s decision from the Government Accountability Office, do not afford us the luxury of staying silent: We urge and insist that our senators make every effort to ensure a full and fair impeachment trial in order to uncover the truth.
We are compelled to amplify our voices and the voices of any who will join us in this effort, and to this end, we have created a website, WeWitness.us, dedicated to this purpose. You will find there a selection of the hundreds of letters from individuals in 42 states submitted to us, calling for a full and fair trial. To date, we have hand-delivered over 1,000 of these letters to members of Congress.
The voices on WeWitness are genuine, personal, and inspiring. These are not the letters of Trump-haters. These are letters that show a deep love and concern for our country and its citizens, and a hope for healing our partisan divide through the search for truth. They call eloquently for government leaders to value and embody ethical governance and guidance. We believe in the power of the individual voice and would like to share a few of these letters with you today.
Dear Senators Romney and Lee,
Please ensure that the impeachment hearing held in the Senate is fair, impartial, and thorough. Please do not let partisan politics prevent true and honest examination of the evidence. I know as a member of the Republican party you will endure pressure to simply vote along partisan lines. But the process and the Constitution are too important for such passive decision making. I trust that as my elected official you will put country before party.
Sincerely, Brooke Nelson
****
Dear Senator Romney,
It’s time that the Senate maintain its integrity by acting as a united body for the benefit of the country, not for the benefit of the president or their own political careers. We need to hear the evidence from witnesses who can shed light on the conduct of the President. It’s a simple as that. It’s critical that the Senate protect the sanctity of the United States Constitution, as you have sworn to do.
As I see it, the House did the right thing in impeaching President Trump. I listened to the majority of testimony from the witnesses who appeared before the intelligence committee. I found them to be credible and honest people, with nothing to gain by coming forward with the truth of what they witnessed in the course of doing their jobs. The evidence they presented leads me to believe that President Trump did abuse the power of his office by directing foreign policy in an attempt to benefit himself politically. Now, unfortunately, I wonder if President Trump has brought us to the brink of war with Iran in an attempt to do the same thing.
My faith as an American and as a Republican is further eroded when I hear that the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, states that he is unable or unwilling to be an impartial juror in the upcoming trial. This is a betrayal to his oath of office. Ironically, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, said it best during President Clinton’s impeachment trial, “Please allow the facts to do the talking. … Don’t decide the case before the case’s end”. Unfortunately, Senator Graham is now unwilling to even conduct the semblance of a fair trial.
So, I’m writing to you with hope. Hope that you will stand for truth and righteousness. I implore you to be a leader in doing the right thing in this impeachment battle– to simply pursue the truth, and to conduct a fair trial.
****
Dear Senators Romney and Lee,
24 years ago, when I was a 16-year-old attending Girls State at Southern Utah University, I threw back my shoulders and proudly declared “I love my government, but I hate politics.” That was how I “ran” for our mock House of Representatives, and it has felt like an honest statement to me in all the years since.
On the edge of a new decade, I look out my front window at the summit of Mt Timpanogos and I feel much the same. But now, rather than feeling pride and confidence in our government, I feel a deep sense of dread and disillusionment. I have no allegiance to any party, but I feel a deep allegiance to the principles of compassion, integrity, and “do what is right, let the consequence follow” that represent the very best of what Utah is to me. I believe in those things. I am dismayed at the prospect of impeachment hearings in the senate that have already been promised not to be fair or impartial. I cannot believe that sides are already being taken and lines being drawn. Why are the principles that I would give my life for being laid down on the altar of “hold on to power at any cost”? Please, senators. I know it is easy for me to sit here and ask you to be brave. It must feel like I am asking you to risk a lot. But standing for the truth and standing for what is right is what Utah is—and should be—about. I am asking you to lead. In this time when we need leaders to protect our government from the assault of corrupt politics. Please. Stand up for a fair and impartial impeachment trial in the senate. Let the consequence follow.
Kind regards, Rebecca Riding
****
Dear Senators Lee, McConnell, and Romney,
I am a conservative who listened closely to most of the impeachment inquiry in the house. By the end of the inquiry it was clear there were still many unanswered questions that could potentially be answered by more witnesses. Yet the President did not allow these witnesses to testify. To continue on with the impeachment without hearing from more witnesses would be irresponsible and an affront to the constitution. Both the president and the American people deserve a full and fair trial in the Senate that includes more witnesses to ascertain the truth about what happened with regards to military aid in Ukraine. As your constituent I expect you to be a voice in support of the full truth.
****
Dear Senators Lee and Romney,
I am a registered Republican voter. I beg you to help make the Senate impeachment trial a full and fair process. This means (1) breaking with those in the party who seem mainly interesting in maintaining personal or party power; (2) encouraging senators on both sides to minimize specious arguments that merely delay proceedings and confuse the electorate, and (3) invite sworn, relevant testimony (e.g., from John Bolton).
It will take moral courage to not simply decide as a Republican to protect the President. However, it will be a lasting stain on any elected leaders who do not take a sincere interest in what the President did or did not do and vote accordingly. At this point, most people (elected leaders as well as the electorate) probably don’t have the facts to make a good judgement, because the process so far has been so partisan. Please help make the process more honest, open, and fair so the final outcome, whether it is to impeach or not, is morally justified.
****
The power of each individual letter speaks for itself; I’m sure you will agree. As we bring our individual voices together in a search for truth, we are well on our way to healing our partisan divide and realizing our goal of ethical government. Thank you.
Comments