Joan Villani wrote (Dec. 10) that President Trump is draining the governmental swamp. Not!

Trump is the problem, not the solution. Since 2016, he has hired and surrounded himself with lackeys who share his lack of ethics and seek to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense.

Six of Trump’s close associates are now convicted criminals: National Security Adviser Michael Flynn (lied to Vice President Pence about his Russian contacts), Campaign Manager Paul Manafort (tax and bank fraud), personal lawyer Michael Cohen (tax evasion), political consultant Roger Stone (lying, witness tampering), foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos (lying to FBI), and Rick Gates (conspiracy, money laundering).

Three of Trump’s cabinet secretaries have resigned or been fired after journalists exposed their spending of taxpayer money on needless luxuries for themselves: Tom Price (HHS), Scott Pruitt (EPA), Ryan Zinke (Interior), David Shulkin (VA). Two others, Alexander Acosta (Labor) and Rick Perry (Energy), left under fire for questionable ethics decisions.

Trump himself defies congressional subpoenas and fights court decisions requiring him to release his tax returns. Like presidential candidates for the past five decades, Trump promised to release them during the 2016 campaign. Unlike his predecessors, Trump never did so. He still gives no valid reasons for withholding them.

Similarly, in violation of established precedents Trump never put his assets into a blind trust. He continues to encourage official visitors to stay at his resorts and hotels, thus further enriching himself.

It is time to impeach Trump and remove him from office.

Anne Williams, Lewiston

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