Donald Trump seems continuously confused about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the subsequent Mueller investigation. Here’s the facts. Russians hacked the Democratic National Committee computer systems and manipulated social media in order to influence the election. They did so primarily in Trump’s favor and also in order to sow discontent and distrust in general. These actions constitute an attack by a hostile foreign government on these United States.

Did Trump collude? Evidence exists he did but the investigation has yet to conclude. Has Trump tried to obstruct the investigation and justice in general? If his relentless efforts to interfere with and discredit the Mueller investigation don’t constitute obstruction then the word has no meaning.

As president he should be leading such an investigation and should have been right from the start. Instead the lengths he has gone to undermine it makes one wonder what he’s trying to hide. He should leave the investigation alone and let it conclude. If there is truly nothing there — fine. But if obstruction is found, he should be tried in court. If collusion is found, he should also be tried for treason. These are the facts. Trump should support the rule of law or get out of the way. It’s not just unpresidential; it’s criminal, and he’s not above the law.

And to my fellow Republicans, if the Russians had interfered with the 2016 election on Hillary Clinton’s behalf, would you all now be so against the investigation? Had things gone this way, I think it no exaggeration to say that by now we’d be on the verge of armed rebellion. The hypocrisy is sickening.

Roy Estabrook

North Monmouth

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