To the editor:

The president’s incompetent handling of the COVID-19 threat, his denial of the pandemic’s severity, his blaming the Chinese for intentionally spreading the virus, his spreading false, dangerous “cures,” and his intentional denigrating of Dr. Fauci, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization have all sown confusion, denial and a “world-class example of a failure to lead” — 150,000-plus deaths and counting.

Rep. Elise Stefanik has hitched her political future to President Donald Trump. Neither she nor Trump wishes to address the allegations of Russian bounties for U.S. and allied soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Trump says he never was “briefed”; Stefanik appears incapable of explaining her silence. With Fort Drum in her district, we all need an explanation, and another about the extraordinary deference that Trump and Stefanik pay to Putin.

The 21st District awaits word from Stefanik on Trump’s removing 12,000-plus U.S. troops from Germany, further reducing our support of NATO and enhancing European vulnerability to Russian troublemaking, like their destabilization of Ukraine.

Days after Trump’s pardon of “dirty trickster” Roger Stone, Elise pulls her dirty trick stunt in Waddington, participating in a “support the first responders parade” with no prior notice to the mayor, no effort to get required permits, and her staff refusing to move their vehicles when requested by local authorities. When asked, she offered the lame excuse that she “just showed up.” This explanation is laughable; Stefanik’s public appearances are orchestrated to the smallest detail.

With the pandemic roaring out of control, communicating with Stefanik’s office is relegated to phone messages, promised to be returned, but which seldom are.

Enraged by New York’s Green Light Law, Trump instructed Homeland Security to end New York’s Trusted Traveler program, further congesting travelers in New York ports of entry and airports, and enhancing the spread of early cases of the coronavirus. Trump blamed Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the loss of the TT program, and that charge was parroted by Stefanik.

As pigs begin to fly, Watertown Daily Times is now reporting (July 25, front page) that “DHS admitted department officials lied to justify banning the state’s Trusted Travelers Program earlier this year.” Is there an apology?

Trump and Stefanik are damaging the North Country and our world relationships. If they weren’t, Canada would be welcoming us. Canada is our number-one trading partner in the whole world, and we aren’t welcome.

Vote for sanity and integrity for the 21st. I encourage you to vote for Tedra Cobb. I plan to.

David Duff

Hammond