It’s not surprising that Rep. Cliff Bentz claims the “facts don’t support Trump indictments” (The Observer, Aug. 10). After all, this is the guy whose very first vote in Congress was to disqualify Pennsylvania’s legitimate electoral votes immediately after violent insurrectionists, egged on by Trump’s words, tried to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 election.

Maybe Bentz was feeling a bit defensive about his role in the insurrection when he read the proof laid out in the two latest indictments about the fake elector schemes.

For example, the evidence in the Special Counsel indictment asserts that Trump:

• Told DOJ leaders, “Just say that the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen.” (p. 74)

• Told lies about the Pennsylvania election to lay the basis for Congress to certify the fake electors in Pennsylvania. (pp. 9, 19-20, 21-27, 27-31)

Trump was relying on people like Cliff Bentz to carry out his goal of overturning the election he lost, and Bentz complied.

Before you take what Bentz says for granted, take the time to read both the Special Counsel and Georgia indictments. They rely on sworn statements and written evidence from Trump allies and GOP witnesses. They contain not just allegations but the facts that Bentz’s claims lack.

Neither indictment denies Trump the right to tell lies, as he is in the habit of doing; rather, they indict Trump for using those lies to further his criminal conspiracies to steal an election and subvert our democracy. And don’t forget that these indictments were voted on by grand juries of ordinary people like you and me. They saw the evidence and voted to indict.

Trump must be held to account. To the extent that Bentz helped him, so should he.

Deborah Ferrer

The Dalles