An open letter to Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst

It is time for you to refute President Donald Trump's repeated assertion that the 2020 election was stolen, fraudulent, or rigged.

Consider the following:

1. Trump's own Department of Homeland Security has said that the election of 2020 was 'the most secure in American history.”

2. Trump's legal challenges have mostly been dismissed by the courts. Any discrepancies are so small as to have no impact on the outcome in any jurisdiction.

3. On Nov. 9-10, The New York Times contacted top election officials in all 50 states. None reported any major voting issues. Only Texas did not respond.

4. H.R. McMaster and John Bolton, Trump's first two National Security Advisors, have both said unequivocally that Trump's claims that the election was stolen from him are false and irresponsible.

The election of 2020 was amazing! Despite a raging pandemic, there was a record turnout. And Republicans did very well in Senate, House, governor, and state legislature races. Trump lost because more than 5 million voters preferred Joe Biden for President.

Trump supporters have every right to be disappointed and angry their candidate lost. Clinton supporters felt the same way in 2016.

But Trump's assertion that the election was stolen is dangerous. It is also disrespectful to his voters. He knows better, and he is deliberately misleading the good people who voted for him. Please speak up for our democracy and repudiate these false claims. Your calming words would mean so much to Iowans of all political persuasions.

Ralph Plagman

Cedar Rapids