#Letters to the editor — Jan. 28, 2021

The Issue: The Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump after the Capitol Hill riots.

Chief Justice John Roberts has told the Senate that he will not be presiding over the upcoming impeachment trial (“Trump’s trial is now ‘incite,’ ” Jan. 26).

It’s too bad that the Democrats in the Senate seem so out for blood that they are now about to make a mockery of our democratic republic.

Sen. Marco Rubio is absolutely correct in calling such a trial stupid. However, anti-Trump Republicans like Sen. Mitt Romney actually believe a trial would help end the divisiveness America is now suffering from. Romney needs to listen to the wisdom of Rubio on this.

The chief justice is right not to lend any credibility to this farcical trial, which is nothing short of a political show that will only ramp up more division in America.

Sal Giarratani

Boston, Mass.

After the Jan. 6 attack on Congress, Republicans have lost their right to propose conditions for unity. It is not their place to ask for unity. They can only ask for forgiveness.

It is up to the Democrats to offer unity in return for punishing the culprits of the attack.

Sen. Rubio saying that the impeachment trial is like pouring gasoline on the fire is completely the wrong analogy. Going after the chief arsonist is not “pouring gasoline” on the fire.

Weeding out the bad apples from the Republican Party is necessary, and only then the parties can talk about unity.

Nilesh Amin

Manhattan

Instead of concentrating on eradicating the coronavirus, our government is hell-bent on wasting time and tax dollars on the impeachment of Trump.

I thought the magical Biden administration ran its campaign on the promise of rescuing the American people from the dreaded virus, yet the Democrats are dead-set on impeachment of a former president.

This is insanity.

Muffy Capozi

New Rochelle

Chief Justice Roberts did the right thing by saying he will not preside over the new impeachment of Trump.

Roberts has been siding with liberals on many decisions, so this should tell Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi to knock it off.

They’re not fooling anyone. They are afraid of Trump running in 2024, and that is what the impeachment is all about. And 74 million of us agree.

Stephen Colasacco

The Bronx

It is unfortunate that the Senate has to take up a trial to protect our democracy after a president has left office — but if it didn’t, future incumbent presidents would be unaccountable for their actions if they lose re-election. Trying to negate the election and inciting insurrection must be dealt with.

Trump supporters have overlooked his faults because they like his policies. Even when he is organizing and inciting a mob to attack Congress, they want to overlook it.

But the most recent accusation — that he planned to have the Department of Justice order the state of Georgia to reverse the outcome of the election — has Trump supporters on the defensive.

If this is proven to be true, it will be difficult for Trump supporters to deny that Trump tried to overthrow our democracy.

Austin Kuder

Seven Hills, Ohio

Having an impeachment trial right now is indeed like pouring more gasoline on an already raging fire.

The country is still coping with the year-long pandemic, which con­tinues to sicken and kill Americans each day.

The $1.9 trillion stimulus package that President Biden wants to pass to help the American people may run into a brick wall of Republican opposition. Unemployment continues to climb, and states are running out of vaccines.

Put the impeachment trial on the political back burner for the time being. The country has too many other issues to deal with, which are very critical. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer were out for political blood against Trump even before the unlawful and terrible storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters.

John Amato

Manhattan