Former CLT mayor: I supported Jefferson Griffin. His election litigation is dead wrong | Opinion

The writer was Charlotte’s mayor from 1991-95:

As a Republican who voted in 1968 for Richard Nixon for President while serving as a member of the U.S. Army in Vietnam, I read Mark David Maxwell’s Jan. 24 op-ed criticizing Judge Jefferson Griffin’s effort to disqualify David’s and other veterans’ vote with complete sympathy.

As a friend and supporter of Judge Griffin, I also believe his litigation in pursuit of election to our state’s Supreme Court to be “dead wrong” in every respect and hope that it will be rejected by the courts.

Richard Vinroot, Charlotte

Is this great?

Donald Trump pardoned every rioter who assaulted Capitol police officers on Jan. 6, 2021. He conducted a mass firing of inspectors general (fraud and abuse watchdogs), violating federal law by not providing notice to Congress nor showing just cause.

Trump reversed a Biden executive order that lowered seniors’ prescription drug costs. Our new ambassador to France was a felon. The new head of the FTC halted public commenting on proposed mergers and price gouging.

Making America Great Again? Hardly.

Arnie Grieves, Huntersville

Nichol’s walking papers

For years contributing columnist Gene Nichol has spewed extreme liberal vitriol. His Jan. 24 column began with diversity, equity and inclusion but rapidly turned into a litany of complaints about President Trump. I get it. Trump is a polarizing figure, and Mr. Nichol doesn’t like him.

Despite Mr. Trump’s myriad flaws, he won the presidential election. To a large extent, that’s due to voter rebellion against being force-fed DEI and open borders for the past four years. If you want to be a newspaper that is relevant to the citizenry, provide a real, balanced dialog on issues that people care about, not Nichol’s skewed and venomous viewpoint. It’s time you gave Nichol his walking papers.

Steven Nesbit, Charlotte

Betrayal

Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd betrayed the soldiers who serve at Ft. Liberty, those across the country and abroad. They voted to confirm Pete Hegseth as DOD secretary, a man who is patently unqualified in many respects. Problems which may arise will be on their shoulders and others who confirmed him.

Kent Rhodes, Charlotte

Inappropriate, disgusting

Donald Trump being elected President of the United States of America has been a God send for many Americans. A Jan. 26 letter titled “Trump Hatred” was inappropriate and disgusting. Stating “the country is rooted in a foundation of hate, anger and prejudice, which will cause it to collapse on itself” just isn’t true.

The divisive ideology of DEI, open borders, weaponization of government agencies and inflation turned people against the Biden administration. Our country is a wonderful place and people all over the world want to come here. It’s a shame some folks trash our country instead of helping Trump make America great again.

Jim Cherry, Charlotte

ICE in schools

It was reported the Trump Administration and ICE are considering going into schools to round up undocumented students in attendance. We should all be reminded of the 1982 Supreme Court case Plyer v. Doe which ruled the states could not deny students a free public education on account of their immigration status.

To do so violates the Equal Protection Clause under the 14th Amendment. Since the Supreme Court has already ruled these undocumented children can attend school regardless of their immigration status, why does Trump think he can violate a Supreme Court ruling from 1982?

Is this another attempt by Trump to bend and break the law to his vision of America regardless of judicial precedent? This is why we must have a system of checks and balances between our branches of government.

Bill Anderson, Charlotte

Helene victims

Thank you to Raleigh News & Observer and Charlotte Observer for putting new meaning to the number 104. Hurricane Helene took the lives of 104 individuals. All were strangers to me, but after reading about these wonderful people, they have a special place in my heart.

Each individual had a story to tell and the publications made sure it was told. May these lives be remembered and cherished by those they left behind. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4. God Bless North Carolinians.

Kathy Bumgardner, Denver