NC Rep. David Lewis siphoned off $65K of donors’ money. He shouldn’t get off easy.

In Lewis plea, I see two kinds of justice

Regarding “Powerful NC lawmaker took donors’ money for his own use, prosecutors say,” (Aug. 20):

Republican lawmaker David Lewis was strapped for cash from his employment so he stole $65,000. N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore and Lewis both describe this as a “mistake” for which he will likely get little more than probation.

Exactly what part of what he did was a “mistake”?

Compare this to a poor Black unemployed father who stole $50 from a convenience store to feed his kids. This man would be much more likely to be labeled a thug, sent to prison, and have virtually no chance of being described by Moore or anyone else as having made a “mistake.”

Dave Lank, Charlotte

What Graham should say at RNC

I am pleased that Franklin Graham is speaking at the Republican National Convention. The National Prayer Breakfast may have been the last time President Trump was exposed to Christian teaching. (June 1 posing with a Bible does not count.)

Graham has an opportunity to offer the president a lesson from Christianity. However, since Trump rebuffed Arthur Brooks’ lesson at the prayer breakfast about loving our enemies, I suggest Graham use Exodus 20: 3-17 which is the core of Christianity: The Ten Commandments. Those few verses offer Graham ample words to share with Trump about loving, sharing, forgiving and more.

This is Graham’s chance to educate a man who held aloft a sacred text before a church for a stunt, not a belief.

Roger Barbee, Mooresville

COVID testing response is too slow

My husband and I just spent a week in Linville, N.C., checking on my in-laws who are in their 90s. I wasn’t feeling 100% upon my arrival so I thought it wise to get a test for COVID. I could not find one place in western North Carolina that had a rapid test. I ended up driving two hours to Charlotte and then it took 72 hours to get the results.

I just read that people traveling to the RNC got quick turn-around testing upon arrival. Why shouldn’t I have the same right? The federal/state response to COVID testing is deplorable.

Claudia Spaulding. North Hampton, Mass.

Medical board should condemn Murphy

Regarding “Fact check: NC congressman can’t be sure of Biden’s mental state,” (Aug. 22):

Shame on Congressman Greg Murphy for using his platform to spread misinformation on Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s cognitive status.

As a urologist, Murphy may be well qualified to perform a prostate exam, but he is in no way qualified to assess Biden’s cognitive status without having trained as a neurologist or neuropsychologist, or having examined Biden directly as part of a neurological team.

This is a blatant political maneuver to undermine Biden. As a neuroscientist who studies the neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease, I am appalled that Murphy would make these claims. I urge the N.C. medical board to condemn this action as highly unprofessional, if not an outright ethical breach.

Julio J. Ramirez, Davidson

Who suffers when Dems raise taxes

The Democrats keep saying that the rich don’t pay enough in taxes. According to statistics from the federal office of budget management, the top 20% of income earners pay 95% of the money the government gets from income taxes. The middle class account for most of the remaining 5%.

When taxes are raised it actually is a larger percentage of a middle income earners income than the income of the top 20%. So when Democrats raise taxes they are usually hurting the middle income wage earner more than the top 20% of income earners.

Christ Koconis, Charlotte

Trump shows how unpatriotic he is

I believe Donald Trump is afraid. He is afraid he is going to lose the election, so he is doing his best to promote fear of fraud. He did this in 2016 and he’s doing it again.

First he tried to make “mail-in ballots” the boogeyman. Now, he’s also ranting about in-person voting.

Never in my lifetime has a sitting president tried to sow doubt about an election into the minds of the American people. Never.

For all the times Trump has tried to convince us how “patriotic” he is, the fact that he doing his best to sow doubt into the election shows how truly “unpatriotic” he is.

Laura Reich, Matthews

How about MAWA rather than MAGA?

After reading of yet another altercation over wearing a mask, I am struck by a simple solution. We need a president who exhibits leadership. If only President Trump would set aside his push for “MAGA” signage and push for adherence to the simple directive by all health and science experts — wearing a mask. Let’s wear masks that say “MAWA.” Make America Well Again.

Karen Watts, Charlotte