Editor:

In response to Denver Nelson's letter (Mailbox, June 27), I heartily support and approve of Congressman Huffman's efforts on holding the travesty of the Trump administration accountable for its obviously illegal and heinous actions, on so many fronts ("The Case for Impeachment," June 13). I dare say most of Mr. Huffman's constituents agree with me.

There are honest and reasoned differences of opinion about how best to do that. Given the White House and DOJ's stonewalling of constitutionally mandated oversight, one approach is to begin formal hearings under the auspices of impeachment, whether or not this results in actual articles. This would help to cut the legs out from under the Trump team's legal arguments as there is no reasonable doubt that impeachment inquiries fall under the oversight of Congress. Hearings would be on very public display and would surely sway public and congressional opinion.

Mr. Nelson points out Mr. Huffman's "obvious talent" and the fact that he's a "smart lawyer." He's also extremely dedicated, energetic and has proven his ability to work on multiple complex issues. One of the mandates of the 116th U.S. Congress after the 2018 blue wave is to act as a check on the Trump administration. Jared is taking a principled and courageous stand to do just that.

The disaster of the Trump presidency affects us all, regardless of where you might live in the U.S. or, indeed, the world. In the first Democratic debate, Jay Inslee said it well: The biggest threat to America's national security is Donald Trump.

Steven Kossow, Arcata

Editor:

After two-plus years, one bombshell story after another which turn into nothing burgers by our politicized media, $30 million to $40 million of taxpayer money, 19 hate Trump lawyers (even one of Hillary's personal lawyers) employed/assisted by approximately 40 FBI agents, intelligence forensic accountants and other professional staff, more than 2,800 subpoenas, nearly 500 search warrants, more than 230 orders for communication records, almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers, 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, compiled millions of documents/pieces of evidence. The result: no Collusion and a twisted answer to obstruction. If Mueller had found obstruction, he would say so; he didn't. Mueller was to come to a binary decision. Were crimes committed or not? That's a special counsel's job. A political hack writes 258 pages of character assassination and then basically says, "I couldn't find a thing. You take over House."

Huffman and his acolytes waste time and our money on these investigations that go nowhere ("The Case for Impeachment," June 13). A humanitarian/national security crisis at the border, homelessness (California has a fifth of the entire country's homeless, 70,000 living on streets in Los Angeles County), our schools rate in the bottom 10 percent; opiate addiction, health/disease issues (Los Angeles is talking bubonic plague!), infrastructure issues, the country's worst poverty rate, high taxes, housing unaffordability, our cities have become literal toilets, needles all over the place and Huffman is essentially saying, "We have to impeach. We don't know what we're looking for but we have to investigate because that's all we have." I mean, what has the Democratic House done legislatively for the good of our country?

Huffman's ilk are destroying California with their "progressive" agenda. No matter your party affiliation, it's obvious a change of leadership from the likes of Huffman and our reps in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento is in order.

Rick Brennan, Eureka

Editor:

Congressman Huffman, if I had spent the last two years lobbing for my boss to be fired, I would be out on the street looking for a new job ("The Case for Impeachment," June 13).

With all the taxes I pay, I have not gotten one dime's worth out of you. Go to work, please! Do something that really matters. Trump is going to be president no matter what during the next 18 months. See if you can give your constituents something for their tax dollar for these next 18 months. Please! Get to work!

Charlie Giannini, Fortuna

Editor:

Congressman Jared Huffman, representing the North Coast, deserves heaps of praise for successfully co-leading an amendment to a major spending bill on the U.S. House floor to block imports of sport-hunted trophies of African elephants and lions from several African nations. These are threatened and endangered species and it's outrageous that the federal government has promoted the killing of these rare animals by granting American trophy hunters permits they requested.

It is a terrible contradiction for the U.S. and other nations throughout the world to ask local Africans not to kill elephants for the ivory trade but to give the green light to wealthy American hunters to kill animals for their tusks or lions for their manes.

We're grateful to Congressman Huffman for leading the push for mainstream animal welfare and conservation initiatives.

Penny L. Eastman, Washington, D.C.