Letters for Wednesday, Feb. 18

Voting access

As residents of Eastern Washington and veterans, my wife, Lynn, and I are concerned by claims that additional voter ID requirements are needed to make elections “safer.”

Washington’s record tells a different story. Since 2004, over 53 million ballots have been cast statewide, with only 15 documented cases of voter fraud – an error rate effectively zero. This is not a system in crisis; it is a system that works.

Washington’s vote-by-mail model uses signature verification, ballot tracking, and audits to protect election integrity while ensuring broad participation. It is a national example of secure elections without creating obstacles for eligible voters.

As veterans, we took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. That oath has no expiration date. The right to vote is one of the freedoms we served to protect, and we are troubled by proposals that frame elections as suspect despite overwhelming evidence.

When leaders emphasize threats that data do es not support, the result is fear and doubt among voters. Strong leadership should instill confidence in democratic institutions, not undermine it.

Our congressman voted for the SAVE Act. We have written seeking clarification on how this legislation improves election security in a state with a proven record and how the risk of disenfranchisement was weighed against the extraordinarily low incidence of fraud. We await that response.

Safeguarding democracy means protecting both election security and access to the ballot. In Washington, these goals are not in conflict.

Robert Jinishian

Spokane

Super Bowl winners

Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks for a dominating win over the Patriots.

After all the celebrating, I feel there is still one thing missing that needs to be acknowledged. Nowhere during the postgame celebration did I hear any mention of the kicking teams’ accomplishments. The only scoring for the first three quarters of the game came from Jason Myers when the offense was unable to reach the goal line. Fifteen of the 29 points of the score was from the skill of the kicking team. Michael Dickson was able to place the ball inside the 5-yard line a number of times as the first real defensive play starting the Patriots deep in their territory.

I’ve had many discussions with Seahawk 12s who thought Jason Myers might have been selected as the MVP. We are so proud of the Seahawks accomplishments this year in winning the Super Bowl. I just wish that Myers would have been on the podium to celebrate the win with Coach Macdonald and Kenneth Walker III during the postgame celebration.

Tom Morris

Spokane Valley

Support for Michael Baumgartner

I am proud to express my support for Michael Baumgartner, our representative in the U.S. Congress. Baumgartner has courageously remained steadfast in his loyalty to President Donald Trump in the face of biased negative news coverage by The Spokesman-Review and other mainstream media.

The great “Beautiful Bill,” which was passed with Baumgartner’s support, will lower taxes and result in tax refunds for most residents in the Spokane region. Our border is now secure, crime is down and our military has been strengthened and proven effective with support from the Republican Congress. Gas prices, though high in Washington, are now lower, inflation is under control and our economy is growing, helped by Baumgartner’s efforts in Congress.

America is recovering from four years of failed Democrat leadership. You would hardly know that from reading The Spokesman-Review, which has become an instrument of the Democrat party.

I applaud Baumgartner for his leadership working to make America prosperous and great.

Joel Crosby

Spokane

Baumgartner’s performance at Bondi hearing

Congressman Michael Baumgartner’s conduct in the recent Epstein hearing was a clear failure of responsibility to the people of Washington’s 5th District. The hearing was convened to demand accountability from the powerful figures connected to Epstein. Instead of using his time to press for answers, Baumgartner chose to praise Pam Bondi and avoid the very scrutiny the public deserved.

This was a moment that required toughness and independence. Survivors needed a representative willing to challenge evasions, not offer compliments. By sidestepping the hard questions, Baumgartner signaled that protecting political relationships mattered more than pursuing the truth.

Eastern Washington expects its elected officials to confront power, not defer to it. In a hearing about one of the most serious abuse networks in recent history, Baumgartner’s performance fell far short of the leadership this district deserves.

Steven Trabun

Spokane

You’re doing a heckuva job, Mikey

People say The S-R is publishing too many letters critical of our hard-working congressional Rep. Michael Baumgartner. I’m here to offer an “attaboy” to good ol’ Mike for his latest effort to look more like a leader than he has in the past.

As the Feb. 11 story noted, Mr. Baumgartner was probably the final person to offer comments during the very heated appearance by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to the House Judiciary Committee. And he didn’t waste his time, carefully applying his mouth to the posterior of the White House. Well done, representative. And thank you for giving Bondi props for how she’s dealt with criticism.

It brings to mind: “You’re doin’ a heckuva job, Brownie.”

This must be considered a big Baumgartner win. His last real moment of public focus a month ago led to less-than-great reviews. That came during the same committee’s hearing with former Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.

In that earlier hearing, Mr. Baumgartner offered comments with zero substance. He was even called out by commentator Lawrence O’Donnell (on his show “The Last Word”) as the poster boy of inept and ignorant questions posed to Smith.

So in light of his “victory,” we may well we see another Baumgartner newsletter noting this achievement. His newsletter may well feature his headline: “I saluted AG Bondi for her awesome work. And she thanked me. She really, really thanked me!”

Thank you, Mr. Baumgartner.

Tom Sowa

Spokane

Who Is accountable for illegal detentions of Spokane residents?

As reported by The Spokesman -Review, 10-year-old Karla Baltazar, her father and Joswar Torres were recently returned to Spokane after courts found their arrests and detentions were illegal. Although their returns are certainly worth celebrating, there was no mention of accountability, or lack thereof, for their false arrests and prolonged detentions (for over three weeks in Karla’s case, and seven months in Mr. Torres’).

Who’s responsible for these travesties? The masked ICE officers who took Mr. Torres into custody? The Border Patrol officers who accosted Karla’s dad and forced him to deliver his daughter to them? Local or regional heads of ICE and CBP? Kristi Noem? Maybe the CEO of GEO Group, the corporation that profited from detaining Mr. Torres illegally? Or the CEO of CoreCivic, the company that profited from detaining Karla and her dad? We know for sure it can’t be the president, because the Supreme Court declared him immune from prosecution. And the president is likely to pardon anyone charged criminally in cases like this. But if no one is held accountable, these injustices will continue.

A bill called the Biven’s Act, introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Reps. Hank Johnson and Jamie Raskin, would offer at least some accountability by making it possible to hold U.S. government officials financially liable for their misdeeds. These civil cases would not be subject to the presidential pardon. Please urge your Sens. Murray and Cantwell and Rep. Baumgartner to support this act.

Alan Binnie

Deer Park

Idaho Legislature and Medicaid

Is the Idaho Legislature listening to us?

I was disturbed by what happened on Feb. 2 during the Idaho House Revenue and Tax Committee hearing on House Bill 559 about making Idaho conform to the new federal tax policy.

When a testifier questioned Chair Cannon’s refusal to allow remote testimony, Cannon stated that an email address was provided for input and over 200 emails had been received, most opposing the bill. He felt that was adequate. The testifier stated email testimony does not allow for committee interaction through questioning that in-person testimony does and is unfair to Idahoans who live far from Boise. Rep. Berch asked where the emails were because he had not seen them. The chair had not even passed the email messages on to the rest of the committee! No chair should deny those who live up north the opportunity to have live exchanges with our legislators.

I am also concerned about how seriously legislators are taking this major bill that will create a $155 million shortfall, undoubtedly resulting in cuts to many needed programs like Medicaid.

Kathy Dawes

Moscow, Idaho

Local memorial for Good and Pretti

With the recent tragic events in Minnesota, I am dismayed that our unapologetic president has purposely neglected to offer any consolation to either of the families of Renee Good or Alex Pretti. This lack of acknowledgement by the highest office holder of our country demands a response from local communities.

I suggest establishing a memorial that acknowledges and offers heartfelt sorrow for this horrible tragedy that occurred. Interstate 90 traverses through Spokane and joins Interstate 94 in Billings. The interstate then continues on to Minneapolis. A small memorial or marker along I-90 would show those traveling to and through Spokane that the two law abiding U.S. citizens, whose lives were lost due to the ruthless, thoughtless and reckless actions of federal immigration enforcement officers, are not forgotten. I invite local city and county officials to consider this or any other action.

John Bain

Spokane