Letter to the editor: Republican Party has no honor

The vote in the Senate to refuse to hear witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Trump puts the last nail in the coffin of what was formerly known as the Republican Party. Instead, we have a party filled with Trump sycophants and lap dogs lacking any integrity, moral character or self-possession.

American history, beginning with our revolution from England, was flush with men of character who risked their lives and livelihoods in order to create our democratic republic and free us from the yoke of British rule.

The debacle of the Senate impeachment trial is a low point in the history of judicial actions within the Senate that stands in stark contrast to the heroic actions of senators chronicled in John F. Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage.” The senators highlighted in Kennedy’s work were true statesmen who placed the good of the country before their own political agendas or even personal reputation or safety.

Republican senators, even though they had taken an oath to be fair and impartial, appear to have gone into the trial with their minds made up about the outcome, fearing any political retribution from Trump and his acolytes.

We are living in a dark period of American history in which what were looked upon traditionally as virtues we hoped our representatives would possess barely exist within the Republican Party. I speak of honesty, honor, personal integrity, courage and the keeping of one’s word.

Trump is the antithesis of these values and he has successfully created a party in his own image, a party truly without honor.

Thomas Severin

Connellsville