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The way some members of the Administration and Congress (including our local Representative Baumgartner) are hiding from public demands to release the information in the Epstein files is disgusting. It certainly doesn’t do a thing to make Trump look *less* guilty of accusations of active participation in sex trafficking of young girls. What it looks like is corrupt politicians scrambling to protect even more corrupt politicians who are likely guilty of sexual crimes. Who benefits from this sort of “leadership?” Baumgartner sent out a survey this week to some residents, asking for opinions on releasing this information to the public - do him a favor and contact him promptly to tell him how you feel about this issue.
Jessica Adams Colville
Left not the cause of all ills
It seems I must address yet again a letter (07/30) from a writer who can’t let an issue go. To start, I erred when I said I erred. Upon reexamination of the ‘Rumor Mill’ letter (06/11) I reassert that the writer was wildly inaccurate in comparing inflation rates.
Comparing one month of inflation (01/2020) to almost four years of cumulative inflation (01/20 through 09/23) is misleading. Apples to oranges. As for discussing inflation rates it was to show that inflation peaked and declined through the Biden years. Yes, the Federal Reserve worked to mitigate the increased inflation, that is what they do. And it is fact, not supposition, that the economy survived the pandemic and did not slide into a recession as many feared it would but remained fairly robust. My greater point to the Rumor Mill letter is the constant harping by some writers that the left is the cause of all the ills in this country, which is patently false. The right bears just as much responsibility. Just look at the present. As to glass houses, once again take your own advise. Obsess all you want, that’s all I will say on this matter.
Time to move on.
Steve Bennett Newport
Narrative preemption
First, Democrats demanded full transparency of the (purportedly “curated”) Biden FBI files.
Now they are shocked to learn that, in addition to grand jury files, which so far have been blocked by an Obama judge, Trump has another readily available, forgotten source of Epstein evidence: Ghislaine Maxwell. Recently, Todd Blanche, Deputy AG, concluded two days of interviews with Maxwell.
Apart from Epstein himself, there is no better witness. Apparently, Epstein never did anything himself; Maxwell did everything for him. Attorney Jeff Childers’ analogy is: “Epstein was the front of the house. Maxwell was the kitchen, the accounting department, and the security system. She holds the map, the manifest, and —most importantly— the motive.” Is this why politicians are suddenly backpedaling?
On July 25, the Times opined “The Blanche-Maxwell discussion has stoked concerns from critics of Mr. Trump” (unnamed, of course) “that he may grant Ms.
Maxwell a reprieve.” They may be floating the pardon issue early because they’re desperately trying to discredit Ghislaine Maxwell before anyone hears her testimony, a classic “narrative preemption” information warfare technique. For anyone she names, they have already framed the response: “She only said that to get herself out of prison!” Plausible deniability.
Kamori Cattadoris Newport
Time to sue insurance commission
There is a need to sue the Washinton state Insurance Commission, and all the Auto insurance companies that do business in Washinton (and for that matter all states).
We are charged for lability on all the vehicles we own, even though we can only drive one at a time. It’s time we get a class action going to sue the Washington State Insurance Commissioner and all the Insurance companies that do business in Washington. If you want to participate, or show your support, please send your request to [email protected]. I will follow up with more information as needed.
Budd Colucci Newport
Pay sales tax where vehicle used?
How many readers who live in Pend Oreille County have purchased a vehicle outside of Pend Oreille County?
I did. Several thousand dollars worth. I asked the taxes that had to be added to the sale price of these vehicles be registered in Pend Oreille County. Our county would have benefited from that revenue.
However, the dealership said that the sales tax had to be paid in the county of purchase. Our county is one of the four poorest counties in the state.
Perhaps it is time for our Commissioners should talk with these other commissioners then perhaps all would band together to inform our state legislatures of these inequities.
Any thoughts on this idea folks?
Pat Connelly Newport
Can learn a lot from other side
At our core, we are atoms. We have positive, negative and neutral energies in every activity of our outside world as well.
The trick is to manage this energy.
Perhaps you want to work to avoid the coming control grid. To do so you must oppose those that can’t conceive there is one. Or you want to stop the great poisoning. To do so you must oppose those that view it as necessary.
Or you want to stop the villains controlling our world. To do so you must oppose those that view them as heroes.
Is this some kind of joke or is this how it works? If we can work through our judgment, our superiority, and our need to be right, we can learn a lot from the ‘other side.’ Looking at an opposing position can increase wisdom, discernment, and acceptance and allow for the possibility of moving on.
If we want to make the ruling class obsolete, we must work together. But to work together, we must do some personal work. If we can master the movement of the atom, we will be unstoppable.
Stacy Cossey Priest River
Racism country’s original sin
Although 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris lost Congressional District 5 54%-43%, she only lost nation-wide narrowly by 1.5%. Yet, 155 years after African-Americans were enfranchised to vote, that anyone as openly racist as President Donald Trump can still be elected president is utterly appalling.
Racism remains our country’s original sin (quoting Abraham Lincoln) and most enduring, cruel sin.
I admit naivete in thinking a majority of white Americans had progressed beyond considering color when Barack Obama became president. Really, one’s own economic condition may exceed color in voting decisions and probably accounted for Obama’s 2008 Great-Recession-era victory. Huge majorities among people of color and youthful voters re-elected him in 2012. Obviously I was in denial concerning national attitudes of older white people.
Trump recruited, particularly via non-political media, many politically disengaged and disinformed to vote for him who didn’t know what they were doing.
But the politically-engaged should know—unless they believe Trump’s lies and Fox “News”-that pandemic-swollen inflation was nearly down to 2% and that undocumented and documented immigrant crime rates are lower than US-born rates. Since these top two election issues favored Democrats, choosing “racist- in-chief” Trump over African-Asian-American woman Harris suggests misogyny was also possibly involved.
Norm Luther Spokane
Epstein and Russia
Trump ‘dirt’ and Epstein? Put some logic and common sense into the equation. The Biden Admin had control the last four years and didn’t release anything on that topic. If there was any ‘dirt’ on Trump, it would have been released long ago, probably in 2016. Trump arrested Epstein in 2019. The fact is they didn’t have any ‘dirt,’ so they had to manufacture some.
The recent declassified document release from Gabbard, Patel and Ratcliff show that the Russia hoax on Trump was manufactured.
Emails, memos and other communication evidence shows that Russia collusion was Hillary’s idea. She needed something to bury her email scandal. She personally signed off on the collusion. She brought the FBI into it to ‘put more oil on the fire’.
The CIA and DOJ followed shortly.
MSM? The drip, drip of doc release appears to be over. It’s now a flood.
Docs released show Hillary, Obama, Brennan, Clapper, Comey and more were involved in the manufacture of Russia collusion.
There is a question as to Presidential Immunity for Obama. If he has immunity, he can testify and can’t take the 5th. If he lies, he loses immunity. Catch 22?
Glen Pierce Spokane/Cusick
Reality check
Per the White House, “illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gangbangers and other violent criminals will be arrested and deported.” The recent numbers.
As of June 23, 2025, 59,000 people are in detention. Greater than 50% are non-criminal. An estimate by a Yale study was 71% being non-criminal. In fact, for many, the most serious conviction is a traffic offense. For homicide, .49%. Yes, notice the decimal point. Since January 2025 only 8% of those arrested had any type of violent offense.
This is data taken from Homeland Security and analyzed by CBS News. Many of us support the deportation of violent criminals. Target those individuals. A parent, grandparent or sibling who is being arrested for an outstanding traffic violation is unreasonable. Remember, being in the country illegally is a civil violation, not criminal. There is a due process for handling, not tossing into a detention center or worse, deporting to non-country of origin.
The environment of the Trump administration seems to be about posting “numbers.” History has told us “body count” does not solve problems.
Robert W. Schutte Newport
‘Made in America’ often fictional
While buying a new dishwasher last week, a price increase of $200 was placed on the model I selected which the salesman said was Trump’s tariff tax.
Please explain how paying $200 more for an appliance makes America great. The importer pays Trump’s tariff tax and passes the tariff tax on to the distributor who then passes it on to the appliance store and the store adds the tariff price increase to my retail purchase.
The store increases the price for all models including the ones made in America. The store gets a higher price based on the tariff increase.
The multinational corporation that owns the store isn’t going to sell a domestic appliance for less than the imported model. A domestic product that costs less wholesale means a higher profit margin for the store.
Many appliances assembled in America use foreign components.
“Made in America” is often a fictional construct. In any event the multinational corporation isn’t going to move their factory to America to avoid the Trump tariff tax. We will pay the Trump tariff sales tax at the store when we buy the foreign made product, and you thought you got a tax cut.
Pete Scobby Newport
