Re “Trump found guilty: Jury delivers historic verdict, convicts former president on all 34 felony counts” (May 31): Donald Trump was found guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying his company’s business records to keep information from voters that he knew would harm his 2016 presidential campaign. Lying on official business filings is a serious criminal offense and another clear example of Trump’s pattern doing anything to gain or stay in power.
If he is elected to a second term, our democracy would be in serious peril. Trump has pledged to weaponize the Department of Justice to seek revenge against his political opponents, pardon himself and his allies for crimes they commit, and deploy the military against demonstrators exercising their First Amendment rights — all while purging the federal government of anyone who doesn’t agree with him.
There’s too much at stake to let Trump return to the Oval Office. It’s up to us to make sure we hold Trump able at the ballot box in November.
— Katie Wilson, San Diego
I taught my students in Government 101 that the basis of democracy is an agreement, written or unwritten, that has two parts: 1) the loser of a fair election won’t use violence or other illegal means to overthrow the results but instead will wait for the next fair election; and 2) the winner won’t use violence or other illegal means to prevent the loser from participating in the next fair election in a reasonable amount of time.
The four prosecutions by Democrats against the leading opposing 2024 presidential candidate violate this fundamental agreement, and therefore undermine our democracy. After the verdict, Donald Trump told the press, “This was a rigged, disgraceful trial, but the real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people.” This was the statement of a man who still believes in democracy.
— Howard R. Killion, Oceanside
