There’s Hunter Biden, then there’s Trump. Legally, there is no comparison | Opinion

Litany of cases against Trump

I suggest Republicans make plenty copies of their complaint about Hunter (who cares?) Biden’s “Sweetheart Deal” and the refrain that “others have gone to prison for the same charges.” They can use those copies to cover their eyes and ears after Trump is convicted of various crimes that people have gone to prison for decades, if not life, but he will be spared the disgrace of incarceration “for the good of the nation.”.

And if anyone really thinks he’s being politically persecuted rather than lawfully prosecuted, simply substitute the name “Trump” with “Biden” or “Clinton” (the president, not the senator) and see if you still think they have the absolute right to take home any classified documents they want and claim them as personal property, can declassify said documents merely by thinking about it, then have the absolute right to refuse to return them,(because they’re too busy), then lie about doing so, and refuse a court order to comply.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? And that’s just one of a litany of cases coming down on the former president. They should make all those copies on the back of that “fantastic, beautiful, and strong health care bill” we’re still waiting for.

Need to expand Supreme Court

I strongly support Sen. Markey’s bill to put four more justices on the U.S. Supreme Court in order to bring it up to the number of circuit courts. We need this immediately to counter the extreme right’s court packing that has taken away our rights that have been protected for decades.

Biden must act to protect wolves

Gray wolves in the northern Rockies are a conservation success story that is being threatened by the Biden administration’s delay.

In Montana, hunters can kill as many as 20 wolves each, and in Idaho, there are no limits. Even wolves in Yellowstone National Park have been frequently and intentionally lured out of the park’s protection to their deaths.

The Biden administration could have prevented this slaughter and continues to delay action that would stop it.

Two former directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with members of Congress, and hundreds of scientists and conservation biologists, have publicly asked Interior Secretary Haaland to act.

Haaland herself wrote an op-ed in the USA Today — more than one year ago — saying she was “committed to ensuring that wolves have the conservation they need to survive and thrive in the wild based on science and law.”

Yet she has taken no action. As the months have passed, hundreds of wolves have been killed. Haaland needs to focus on her responsibilities and act to protect wolves before it is too late.

Need justice in embezzlement case

In February 2022, a previous board member embezzled over $40,000 from a nonprofit children’s organization. The police had the report for months and after investigation turned it over to the DA’s office for prosecution. After more investigating, the DA’s office has done nothing. I realize this may seem like a small amount, but to more than 900 kids, it meant a place to play the games, field equipment, uniforms, etc.

We volunteer to give the children an opportunity to play in an organized sport and mainly to keep them off the streets. It seems that Fresno doesn’t care that half of these players are now wandering the streets and getting into trouble. Not resolving this matter as soon as possible has caused mistrust within our league.

I am asking that the governmental agencies do their job so that we can put this behind us and start rebuilding our league.

We must get off carbon energy

We are yet again reminded that our world is rapidly warming, this time by the severe heat wave in the South and the wildfires in Canada. The time to act is now to stop the polluting of our atmosphere with carbon dioxide from our burning of fossil fuels.

With the passing of last year’s Inflation Reduction Act there are incentives that make clean energy sources cheaper than burning fossil fuels. The California Public Utilities Commission is tasked with regulating utilities and ensuring that ratepayers have affordable, safe and clean energy.

I ask that the members of the CPUC show bold leadership and rapidly transition all California utilities from burning carbon-polluting fossil fuels to producing our electricity from clean sources of energy, such as solar and wind, and using energy storage. Please, for the sake of our grandchildren and all future generations, make this transition your top priority.

Reps. McCarthy, McClintock need to step up

Are House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Tom McClintock adequately representing their Armenian constituents?

On the morning of Wednesday, June 21, Armenians living in north Fresno and the city of Clovis woke up disappointed. They noticed that the signatures of their representatives, McCarthy and McClintock, were missing on a bipartisan congressional letter that urged the Biden administration to halt U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan.

For six months, the authoritarian Azerbaijani government has engaged in an illegal blockade against indigenous Armenians in the Republic of Artsakh. Armenians in Artsakh have been subjected to brutal human-rights abuses and imminent genocidal threats by Azerbaijan.

Armenian Americans are infuriated that the U.S. government continues to relentlessly arm Azerbaijan's genocidal military campaign for the sake of profit. They demand that the U.S. government end its reputation as an enabling factor of this cycle of violence.

Armenians were thankful to have received the signatures of Valley Reps. Jim Costa and David Valadao. Reps. McCarthy and McClintock must step up to the plate to ensure that they adequately represent the needs of their Armenian constituents. Armenians in north Fresno and Clovis expect unanimous support from each of their Valley representatives.

Finding peace, quiet in Mexico

It has been 10 days since I have arrived in Cotija de la Paz De La Paz, Michoacan, breaking the wishes of the U.S. Department of State, no-go places to visit. Since my arrival I have not seen any drug labs or witnessed any gun battles.

I have not seen any Mexicans with their backpacks heading to the U.S. I have seen people who were born in the U.S. who have not desired to go back to where they were born.

I have not seen the extreme poverty many Americans believe there is in Mexico. What I have witnessed is the peace that many folks have in their daily lives. While many folks in Washington blame Mexico for their woes, let us be in peace.

This story was originally published July 2, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "There’s Hunter Biden, then there’s Trump. Legally, there is no comparison | Opinion."