My first letter to you was sent over one year ago. Your gracious, handwritten note arrived a couple weeks later. You invited my prayers; you added that you “look forward to someday having a full discussion of the issues [I] raised.”

You’ve had my prayers, good friend. And indeed, I feel the same. I would relish the opportunity to talk (privately?) at length about the crisis we face.

I can only imagine the pressure you feel as you anticipate the inevitable trial in the Senate now (tentatively) calendared for January.

I am no fan of our president. The impeachment action which will be voted on by the full House next week contains only two articles. But you and I both know there could be fifty. In the nearly three years Trump has occupied the White House, he has made a mockery of that sacred trust. The laundry list of offences is nearly as long as the number of tweets emanating from the White House residence.

Taking your obligatory cues from Mitch McConnell (remaining silent as virtually every Republican in House and Senate), as Majority Whip, you will undoubtedly cast your vote against removal, even though your conscience may well be telling you otherwise.

But consider this.

Nunez? Jordan? Collins? Stephen Miller? Stephen Bannon? Lindsey Graham? Rudy Giuliani?  Ted Cruz? Shaun Hannity? Roger Ailes? Michael Cohen? Paul Manafort? Roger Stone? Kelly-Ann Conway?  Mohammad Bin Salman? Kim Jong-un? Vladmir Putin? – This cast of characters comes to us from the President who pledged to hire and associate with the best of the best. (“You’re gunna be so proud!” he crowed.) It’s all cringeworthy.

A good friend of mine who knows about our correspondence brought up an interesting name: John Rhodes (R-AZ). In 1974, just after the “Friday Night Massacre” (the firing of Archibald Cox), he joined two other Republicans, Barry Goldwater and Hugh Scott, who paid a personal visit to Richard Nixon at the White House. While they all had been friends, Rhodes mustered the courage to inform Nixon that he would not survive Impeachment.

Soon after, Nixon resigned.

Rhodes acted on the courage of his convictions; the demands of his conscience. He knew the potential for backlash from his party and his base. But all that said, his name will forever be emblazoned in the annals of history – on the right side.

John Thune – you could be that man. Comparisons fail. Trump is not Nixon. Many of us believe Trump is far worse than Nixon.

But think about it –

Trump will probably survive impeachment; and if he does, he will, for certain, claim total and complete vindication and exoneration. His cries of  “THE WORST WITCH HUNT IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND!” will be one more perversion of the truth, one more evasion of responsibility, one more stain on the sacred honor of the Office – and he will strut like a peacock into those endless arenas filled with a sea of red hats and pre-printed T-shirts, launching lengthy stream-of-consciousness speeches inspired by Stephen Miller’s vision of a  walled-in, cruel, tone-deaf, chaotic, paranoiac, Deep State obsessed America.*

But you could take a stand.

You could take the measured risk of banishment from Trumpland. Even though you just might alienate Mitch McConnell, you could stand for what is right, remembering that inspiration to serve back in Bible college, the idealism, the promises you made to resist: resist gutless conformity, the seduction of power, the empty promises; recall that fundamental belief in the Constitutional notion of three equal branches of government, the power of democracy, collegiality, accountability, transparency, full disclosure, mutual respect, civility and cooperation.

One of fifty “jurors,” you could break ranks and vote YES. Guilty. On both counts.

It would inspire others. This is not about affirming the Democrats or giving Nancy Pelosi what she wants. It’s acknowledging the truth of the charges, knowing there well could be/should be many, many more.

John, I know you and your family well enough to know that you are not a seeker of the spotlight. You’ve diligently served the people of your beloved and agrarian South Dakota.

But more people should know the name John Thune. You have earned your stripes. As the role is called and the votes are cast, if you stand up for the truth and vote your conscience – history will smile.

And so will I.

Ken Kemp

Southern California

Email, mailing address

Cc John Thune’s political science professor from his undergraduate years at Biola University and his brother.

*Question: Who pays for Air Force One and all the associated expenses of getting the President of the United States to these never-ending political rallies? Us taxpayers?