After all my letters, you would expect to hear from me now as we arrive at this profound moment, this crucible in history. My message will be no surprise.

For your strong public condemnation of the President’s blatant role in the January 6 insurrection, I commend you. But then, appealing to “national unity,” you voted along with the majority of your Republican colleagues to go on record against the one way in which the former President might be held to account for his actions during those final days of his presidency, not to mention his final year.

I cannot commend you for that.

Now before you stands the last opportunity you will have to put a stop to a Trumpism that has inflicted immeasurable damage on our democracy. You have the power as a Senator to vote to convict and then prohibit this dangerous man to ever serve again.

Your colleagues hide behind “process.” You know it, and so do I. They still fear this man – not just those presidential threats by Tweet but now, as I understand it, threats against your families and your person by thugs who call themselves “Patriots.” Trump has avoided accountability for his entire career. The first impeachment would be an archetype of the privilege he has enjoyed since the first lawsuit was filed against him when he launched his career as a “real estate mogul.”

“They are the criminals, not me,” is a projection strategy he has employed all his life.

National unity?

Does it advance unity in our country by giving him yet one more pass? Does it advance unity to call his lies, his deceptions, his provocations, his threats, his name-calling, his character attacks, his affection for ad hominem a mere “exercise in free speech”? Does the empty cry “Unconstitutional!” do justice to the “rule of law”? I think not.

What about his pledge to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States?

If Trump is not convicted, you will hand him yet another opportunity to claim innocence – to hold up a newspaper with the bold headline: TRUMP ACQUITTED – AGAIN. It will embolden him even more, if that is even possible.

Should you vote to acquit, how will you explain to the people who put their trust in you that he will be held to account? Censure? It’s too late for that. Inevitably, predictably, he will claim total and complete exoneration. Innocence. He will call the entire process (which was demanded by the facts) just one more “witch hunt” carried out by Trump haters.

Please, Senator Thune – you know the evidence. You know the truth. Please, use your influence.

Vote to convict. Set the pace. Encourage your colleagues – those who share your core commitment to a life lived with integrity of conscience – to do the same.

That’s how we promote unity.

The country, the world, will thank you.

And so will I.

Most sincerely,

Ken

Ken Kemp