On this past primary election day, U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, who represents Ohio’s 6th Congressional District, visited with Scouts to discuss the rights, duties, and obligations of citizenship.
My reaction was much like the RCA Victor dog tilting his head, trying to make sense of what he’s hearing. Let me explain. One of the primary duties of a member of the House of Representatives is to uphold the popular will — the collective preference or choice of the people.However, Rulli has, by and large, refused — despite swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution — to carry out this duty. Instead, he has joined the rest of the Republicans in both houses in placing loyalty solely in Trump. OpenWatchdog.com reports that Rulli voted with the GOP (Donald Trump) about 98% of the time.When legislators remain silent in the face of unconstitutional executive behavior and the rejection of core democratic values, they risk enabling authoritarianism, eroding democratic institutions, and undermining the rule of law.While Rulli is a neophyte in Congress, he needs to stop hiding behind the Republican “code of silence” and make clear to his constituents that he has the courage to stand up for the people rather than blindly following Trump’s directives.
David B. McCoy, Massillon
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Rep. Rulli’s speech to Scouts seems hypocritical | Letter
Reporting by Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
