Arrow-right Camera
Subscribe now

CMR’s Malden bill laughable

I nearly choked on my early morning coffee today when I read the news about Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ self-serving “Malden Act” bill (“McMorris Rodgers introduces ‘Malden Act’,” June 16).

Readers will remember how McMorris Rodgers was a slavish defender of Trump for four years, remaining silent about his corruption and cheering on his “Big Lie” effort to overturn the November 2020 presidential election – right up until Jan. 6, when the Capitol was overrun with rabid insurrectionists intent on harming her own colleagues, blocking the Electoral College vote and destroying our democracy.

Despite her loyalty to Trump, McMorris Rodgers had no pull with him at all when she sought federal aid for Malden, Washington, after it burned to the ground last Labor Day. Trump wouldn’t help a devastated Eastern Washington town because he detested Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, an outspoken critic of his disastrous presidency. McMorris Rodgers’ loyalty meant absolutely nothing to Trump. She never learned the obvious lesson: to Trump, loyalty is a one-way street.

Now, without consulting Washington state’s two Democratic senators, she’s introduced the Malden Act, a hypocritical irrelevancy now that Trump is no longer president.

Two weeks after President Biden’s inauguration, Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray intervened on behalf of Malden, swiftly getting approval from Biden to release emergency funds. Other federal funds will follow.

Sen. Murray’s message to McMorris Rodgers: swift federal aid to afflicted communities has been customary in every administration except Trump’s. Our ineffective congresswoman didn’t have the clout to help Malden, and her bill is laughable.

Karen Dorn Steele

Spokane



Letters policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

  • No more than 250 words
  • We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
  • We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
  • With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
  • The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form
Submit your letter here
Mail
Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Fax
(509) 459-3815

Read more about how we crafted our Letters to the Editor policy