Partisan cherry-picking of Jan. 6 video works both ways

Is only one side of this partisan matter to be permitted to see the video? Is cherry-picking not precisely what critics of the partisan House January 6th Committee accuse that committee of doing?

A video surveillance apparatus is seen on the East Front of the Capitol in Washington on Sept. 10, 2021.

A video surveillance apparatus is seen on the East Front of the Capitol in Washington on Sept. 10, 2021.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Your editorial published on Feb. 27 suggests that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s turning over Jan. 6 security video to Fox News host Tucker Carlson is asking for trouble. The editorial explains that this may enable Carlson to cherry-pick enough fragments to argue that what happened is the opposite of what really happened.

However, is that not precisely what critics of the partisan House January 6th Committee accuse that committee of doing? The editorial explains that the 40,000 hours of video likely contain enough snippets to present whatever disinformation you want.

Suspicion of committee cherry-picking may even be supported by your citations of the committee chairman’s expression of extreme concern about this, and another Democrat congressman’s critical comments.

Is only one side of this partisan matter to be permitted to see the video?

Julius L. “Jerry” Loeser, Gold Coast

How can we end divisive politics?

How is it possible for this nation to move away from its divisive political environment, one in which the extremists in both parties seem to be in control?

SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. We want to hear from our readers. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 350 words.

How is it possible we are ever going to get a candidate, God forbid, who works with the other party for the good of the nation? The rules are stacked against anyone running for political office, and more so the presidency, unless they toe the line of their party. Without party endorsement you don’t stand a chance.

My hero is Adam Kinzinger, yet he will never again hold political office for the simple reason that he does not fit inside one of the two boxes that have been laid before us. There is a third box: We are called independents, and we yearn for a candidate to represent our views. We represent a third of the country, according to recent polls.

Of the three candidates so far for the presidency on the Republican side, one is Donald Trump; one is Trump bootlicker, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; and the other is Nikki Haley, who worked for Trump. We either vote for one of these fear-mongerers, or Joe Biden, who is already 80 years old. That is not a choice. That is a gun to our head.

Scot Sinclair, Round Lake Beach

Hypocrisy in action

Democrats are quick to accuse Republicans of being anti-immigration and anti-voter rights. Yet reading articles in Sunday’s Sun-Times, one has to wonder where their anger is against Illinois Democratic politics. The Department of Children and Family Services refuses to follow the law in allowing undocumented survivors of child abuse to apply for a special visa to allow them to remain in the country.

In another article it was reported that 67% of Chicago polling places aren’t fully accessible to people with disabilities. And, of course, there was Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s recent comment that people on the South and West Side who do not vote for her should not vote at all.

Hypocrisy in action, but no significant backlash from the rank-and-file Democrats.

Joe Revane, Lombard

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