Last week, my neighbor removed the Trump flag from his Westmoreland County home. It took the death of a police officer, a veteran, three others and more than 50 injured Capitol police.
I find it troublesome that some of my representatives continue to support President Trump because they feel safe in my red district. With their rhetoric, I believe they incited and validated the mob that stormed the Capitol. While not perfect, our law and order, our institutions, distinguish us from our rivals.
I single out U.S. Reps. Guy Reschenthaler and Mike Kelly. Even after the violence, both still objected to the Electoral College vote certification.
Republicans cite Act 77 as unconstitutional. A Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Legislature passed the law with bipartisan support in October 2019. Both parties made concessions, and both parties benefited. The law created more voting opportunities in a democracy. Republicans had more than a year to object. Instead, they accepted favorable mail-in ballots during the June 2020 primaries.
More than 50 court cases failed to produce evidence of widespread fraud in November. Attorney General William Barr confirmed the same. Various states completed recounts, with state and local officials backing the results. I worked as a poll worker on Election Day. The experience left me hopeful and proud to see our democracy deliver.
Around noon on Jan. 6, Reschenthaler on Twitter praised Trump as the best president since Lincoln. That same day, despite the chaos, he still legitimized Trump. Never forget.
Steliana Vassileva
New Kensington