Print this page
Archived Opinion

Let a court decide Cawthorn’s accusations

Let a court decide Cawthorn’s accusations

To the Editor:

In your article, “Words matter: Rhetoric became rage in D.C. insurrection,” Rep. Madison Cawthorn admits that he cannot prove fraud in the presidential election, but is quoted as saying “...what I can prove is that the Constitution was definitely subverted and circumvented.” He does not share his proof so we, his constituents, can evaluate his position, but there is a larger question.

For over 200 years, the courts — and especially the United State Supreme Court — have been the arbiters of constitutional questions, not individual congressmen. If we want to leave a functioning republic to future generations, we need to respect our institutions and let them fulfill their proper roles. Anyone can have opinions about what is and is not constitutional, but if every one of our 535 representatives and senators think they understand the constitution better than the courts, we will have chaos.

If Mr. Cawthorn truly had proof of unconstitutional behavior by states, he should have taken it to the courts, not to a political rally that had the potential to become a mob.

Thomas V. Fehsenfeld

Asheville