(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Dear Editor,

This week, I wrote to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) asking that she respond to two questions I posed about whether she supports impeaching Donald J. Trump and removing him from office. Neither Rep. Pressley nor any member of her staff responded at all. This is upsetting and I am unhappy seeing this lack of foresight and leadership from my district’s representative.

From my perspective as a concerned citizen and voter residing in Somerville, it’s obvious that Donald Trump is rapidly pushing our nation into authoritarianism. His threats not to leave at the end of his term in office are highly credible. What was once seen as hyperbole about the danger of his administration, from immigration to the economy, has become reality. He and his cabinet are lawless, unaccountable to our justice system, and have committed a multitude of crimes.

If we don’t impeach him now, American democracy may not survive his destructive rule. I’m not willing to risk that.

Congresswoman Pressley is an effective representative of Somerville and other cities and towns in her district. She cares about her constituents. We need her support for impeachment. With utmost urgency, I request that Rep. Pressley publicly commit to upholding the most fundamental role of a congressional representative – removing tyrants from office. Commitment to the basic fact that Trump is a tyrant, and acting now to get him out of the White House, is imperative. If we wait for the 2026 election, it will be too late. We need Rep. Pressley’s commitment now.

Brian J. Cook
Somerville