March 24, 2025 Editor, The News-Gazette: Six weeks ago I contacted Rep. Ben Cline’s office to ask if he agreed with President Trump’s recent assertions that President Zelensky was a “dictator” with a 4% approval rating; that the U.S. had spent $350 billion supporting Ukraine; that Ukraine started the war with Russia; and if Cline agreed with Trump that Putin’s invasion was “genius” and “savvy.” Cline’s office did not respond to my email.
These were not tough questions; any reasonably informed eighth-grader at Maury River Middle School could state with confidence that Zelenskiy is a democratically elected president with a 63% approval rating (Reuters); that allocated U.S. assistance to Ukraine approximates $184 billion with $83.4 billion actually spent as of December 2024 (USAfacts Team); that Russia started the war and that Putin’s invasion was a savage folly. Now Cline must know that Trump’s claims are bogus because in addition to open sources, he sits on the House Intelligence Subcommittee with access to U.S. intelligence assessments. So why is Cline silent?
Most likely Cline is afraid of potential political blowback. By publicly agreeing with Trump’s false assertions, he would look like a damn fool — not exactly an endorsement of his fitness for office but if Cline disagrees with Trump’s lies, he risks the “wrath of Don” — potentially a career killer. So Cline takes the politically “savvy” (albeit cowardly) way out and says nothing.
So what should we make of Ben Cline choosing political expediency over conscience when offered the opportunity to break with Trump’s “Russia First” pronouncements regarding Ukraine? I believe it shows a lack of character. As Martin Luther King said “there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.”
Sadly, Ben Cline takes the opposite approach on Ukraine. We have a moral coward representing us in Congress. EDWARD GRIMES Lexington
