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