Investigations

* Re “Espy Cleared of 30 Charges of Corruption,” Dec. 3: What delicious irony in Mike Espy’s acquittal! The Republicans’ use of some $60 million of taxpayer’s money in trying to destroy President Clinton and [former Agriculture Secretary] Mike Espy actually turned out to be money well spent. It clearly shows the voters that the Republican Party leadership is now made up of a bunch of zealous clowns who care nothing about serious issues confronting our nation and that their mean-spirited agenda from day one has focused on little except to destroy anything Democratic--whatever the cost to the once Grand Old Party. Way to go, GOP!

JAMES R. GALLAGHER

Huntington Beach

*

What are members of the House and Senate trying to do, bankrupt this country with all these investigations? Either give it up, or investigate every member of the House and Senate and get it over with!

DONALD E. COOK

Cathedral City

*

Re “Hyde View on Lying Is Back Haunting Him,” Dec. 4: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde is apparently willing to overlook Ollie North’s lying to Congress about Iran-Contra, Ronald Reagan’s secret deals with Iran and all those other trivial matters. It’s the really serious stuff, like lying about sexual affairs, that he can’t stand.

I guess it’s all in the “context.”

DON M. HOWARD

Oak Hills

*

What’s the matter? Is Hyde getting too close to the truth? Are polls still indicating that most Americans don’t want a president who commits perjury? Maybe you could do an attack-the-messenger story about Hyde’s unfair judgment of Clinton’s lies. After all, it’s only about “lying to cover up an embarrassing sexual affair,” right? Whatever you do, don’t let anyone get the idea that he lied about the affair with the intention of subverting the U.S. judicial system to deny the civil rights of a citizen.

Keep up the good, unbiased reporting; you really know how to “help” the uninformed to understand the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

GREG KILLIAN

Irvine

*

Bravissimo to David Savage! His piece exposing Hyde’s flexible views on lying left me ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing). Oscar Wilde said: “Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Hyde (along with Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Bill McCollum) has thus proved himself to be one of this country’s most “imaginative” legislators.

JAMES HARBERT

Studio City

*

With respect to your Nov. 30 editorial on congressional clout and the same day’s article on Rep. David Dreier becoming chairman of the House Rules Committee, it is our opinion that Reps. Dreier and Christopher Cox could unify the California congressional delegation (and increase its clout) if they vote against Clinton’s impeachment. If they vote for impeachment, they are thumbing their noses at the majority of their constituents and creating an irreparable chasm in California’s delegation.

JOE and ANN RHINE

Pomona

*

To all who think impeachment is over sex: “It’s the perjury, Stupid!”

JACK BRAUN

Ridgecrest