Editor:

Agreed, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is a bad man, a criminal. He is undemocratic, and repressive and his government has destabilized the region for years.

But attacking Venezuela the way President Trump has is criminal. It violates international law, U.S. law and our Constitution. The administration acted unilaterally, without consulting Congress as required.

Mr. Trump left the corrupt Maduro administration in power because he believes he can bully them into turning over their resources (especially their oil) to him and his corrupt cronies. While, Republican politicians, like Claudia Tenney, will just go along with this illegal and corrupt activity.

The rationale for this illegal action is very concerning. In his press conference explaining the illegal invasion of Venezuela to the American people, Mr. Trump stated that the U.S. has now replaced the Monroe Doctrine with the “Donroe Doctrine.”  Which he explained supersedes the Monroe Doctrine and is outlined in the new National Security Strategy released in early December.

This document changes our foreign policy from rule-based order promoting democracy to “Spheres of Influence.” Where powerful countries create spheres of influence in their region. This aligns with Vladimir Putin and Russian foreign policies goals.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Pestov speaking about it, told reporters: “The adjustments that we see correspond in many ways to our vision.” Spheres of Influence is how Mr. Putin’s explained his invasion of Ukraine.

This major break from the rules-based order and international laws to one where “Might makes Right,” is what Republicans like Ms. Tenney are cheering and it is very dangerous.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

The idea of placing a 2.2-million-square-foot, 500 megawatt data center in the middle of several wildlife management areas and the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s “Big Woods” is the worst idea ever!

First of all, the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is one of many important birding areas in Western New York. A refuge for many birds to rest, nest, feed and raise their young. I learned that over 30% of the endangered short-eared owl population have been lost since the WNY STAMP project began.

The owl depends on hearing to hunt its prey. How is the owl going to be able to hear if a data center is roaring as loud as a rock concert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

The other species of special concern in this area is the Eastern Massassauga snake, the Northern Harrier Hawk, Bobolinks, Long Nose Bat and the Cerulean Warbler are all at risk here.

What about the demand on our power grid and water resources? The STAMP project was intended for advanced manufacturing not a power-sucking data center! The GCEDC doesn’t care about the environment and how can they be the lead agency for the SEQR? It’s like putting the wolf in charge of the sheep.

Of course they are going to push it through they will receive millions for destroying our wetlands. For very little jobs offered.

Stop WNY STAMP. No data centers next to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.

Evelyn Wackett

Certified wildlife rehabber

Buffalo

Editor:

Congresswoman Tenney congratulated Trump for his capture of Maduro in Venezuela.  She stated that his capture “sent a clear message against tyranny and corruption.”  It appears Tenney has strong feelings on this matter.  I wonder how strong.

I suggest she volunteer to be the new Chief of the US Mission to Venezuela. Perhaps she would welcome the opportunity to govern 30 million hostile people and solve its severe poverty problems.

Jack Capurso

Albion High School 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

Yesterday, we saw another egregious act by our President. The sole purpose of this offense can be directly tied to the multitude of offenses by this Administration and its tag-along Congress.

Regime change is prevalent in our DNA, but it has never boded well for us or other countries. In fact, it is often destabilizing for a country and can cause irreparable harm in terms of the consequences and sometimes lead to civil wars.

The fact that Congress was not informed, and the President and his Administration lied in briefings to them by saying this was not going to lead to regime change. Senator Ruben Gallego repeatedly asked that question to Secretary Rubio and was told it was not.

We have removed President Maduro and his wife, flown them to New York where they will be held in a New York Detention Center in Brooklyn. I would say that is definitely regime change! Nobody should be a fan of Maduro and his corrupt government, but this brazen act was taken by President Trump and his administration.

We have a Congress, and under our Constitution, they have the sole power to declare war on a country. Why is that not respected and upheld, but instead mowed down by the ego and hubris of this President?

We have also witnessed the expected complicity by this Congress, including NY24 Rep. Claudia Tenney. Her statement praised the action of our government saying it “sends a clear message that the United States will stand firmly against tyranny and corruption that threaten US security in our hemisphere.” She also said that the Venezuelan people “now have the opportunity to pursue freedom and prosperity.”

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Venezuelans pursuit of freedom and prosperity, nor a stand against tyranny and corruption. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! It does, however, have everything to do with the grift of this President and his administration.

Once President Trump got off script in his press conference, he was not shy about revealing the reasons he did it either. He repeatedly said “we are running Venezuela now.” And when asked why, he made no bones about how “we’ll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries.”

He is on the take for himself and his cronies. We have no money to pay for healthcare in this country, or rising cost of groceries, but he and his oligarchs are lining their pockets with Venezuelan oil money.

So, I ask you, is this what we are asking our brave military to do now? Be the muscle behind the grift and corruption? It is shameful, that this President, would send our young men and women to wage a war for the benefit of the 1%. That is the reality of today’s actions. It is most disgraceful that those in Congress, such as our Rep. Claudia Tenney, play a shell game with the truth. She does not deserve to represent us.

Time for a change!

Diana Kastenbaum

Batavia

Kastenbaum is a candidate for the 24^th Congressional District of New York.

Editor:

In rural areas like Congressional Districts 23 and 24, farmers rely on undocumented immigrants, especially year-round operations like dairy farmers, because those workers are largely ineligible for the H-2A visas.

While immigration was one of the major issues Republicans campaigned on last year, they have not proposed any comprehensive plans. Farmers want legal farm workers; they want changes to the immigration process.

Republicans like Claudia Tenney and Nick Langworthy vote against all reforms. Instead, they push enforcement and punishment. Newsweek reported (9/8/25) that Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are putting an $8 billion farming business in New York at risk.

Democrats have proposed legislation to fix our broken immigration system. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) has proposed H.R. 3227 Farmworker Modernization Act of 2025. This act would provide a legal status for farm workers, protecting them from deportation and providing a stable labor force for the employers. It also streamlines and expands the H-2a visas to include year-round jobs and reduces bureaucratic delays.

Arizona Senator Rubin Gallego proposed the Securing the Border and Fueling Economic Prosperity Act in May this year. This act would bolster border patrol staffing and the use of advanced technology for drug detection.

Additionally, the legislation would overhaul the asylum system and address the root causes of migration. Our Congressional Representatives continue to squash immigration reform. They will not address the issue of immigration because having a campaign slogan is more important to our Republican representatives than solving real issues facing their constituents.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

When Charlie Kirk died and his wife forgave the killer, according to the New York Times, Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) heard all the angry words striking out right and left which surrounded her and learned what it was to forgive again. She was reminded of the teachings of her faith. Leading with a spear and living in a state of constant hate is not normal.

I know that I’m a normal person because I do a lot of grocery shopping. I’ve been saying for a long time that prices are going to be going up with tariffs and putting more of the cost on the backs of ordinary people. Someone who installs gold toilets in the White House and tries to shout people like me down – saying everything is more affordable can’t persuade me that my eyes deceive me.

Things are only more affordable for the rapidly expanding cohort of the very rich billionaires this administration has now proven it actually serves. That is not normal.  It’s normal in a real Democracy like ours was for our American government to look out for all of us.

I see bullies all the time, and those gold toilets don’t make a darn bit of difference when it comes to the truth. It’s little different than when normal people in ancient Israel listened and learned it was wrong to bow down to golden idols. Sometimes you just know it. Sometimes you have to see it yourself first.

Another thing that was reported about Margaret Taylor Green is that she and staff were on speakerphone with the White House when she was told that the Epstein files were being slow walked because it would hurt “my friends.”

I wrote till I was blue in the face that the Rule of Law was being ignored. She apparently also came to realize that excuses which pass the blame or are good for friends are not the same as justice for the victims of pedophiles. Very good sounding-off-the-cuff excuses are not the same as carefully considered application of the Rule of Law to dispense justice.

In the end it appears MTG remembered what America is about when she heard the unvarnished truth shouted in anger over that speakerphone. For her it was a good example of the proverb we learned as kids: “the truth will out.”

Recently a person wrote: “Somewhere in America, a young Hispanic girl is hiding in an attic, writing a diary.” I think it’s clear that there are a lot of good people in this country who are now taking mental notes out of concern or fear. Obviously all of us concerned about higher prices. For that Hispanic girl maybe getting her day in Court. But mental notes are being made by voting poll workers, National Guardsmen illegally deployed to do police work, parents whose infants can not get measle shots, people denied the cancer vaccine which was in late stage approvals, people with 2X medical premiums (a senior, mine were 4x), farmers with lost sales. In fact by all whose lives Project 2025 said would be displaced or destroyed. Whether or not the White House read it, the primary author of that tome is in the cabinet and it’s clear every cabinet member is aware of its marching orders.

Finally Greene observed war is always a way to hold onto power. International law has always been clear that boarding another country’s ships is an act of war. But more than that as a normal person it scares me stiff when I hear Putin’s twisted claims being repeated by our White House, fully expecting that free people will ever surrender on Putin’s terms. MTG is right to think this is an administration that invites more war on several fronts.

I hope this is a year when more people like MTG demand normalcy. A year when all realize what’s good and decent and speak out and act – hopefully with every one joining together to throw slings like David used to kill Goliath. A year all step up each day all the way to the ballot box in November. And a year which ends with some rest, renewed friendship and a real start of our return to normalcy in 2028.

Respectfully,

Conrad F. Cropsey

Barre

Editor:

This past Friday evening and Saturday morning I had the opportunity to volunteer to ring the bell for the Salvation Army Red Kettle at our local Albion Tops.

This is a Thank You to all of you who donated your hard-earned money, whether it was a few dollars or change, towards those who are not as fortunate.

In this time of “affordability” your sharing goes to show the spirit of giving that is alive and well in our community.

A Thank You also goes out to Jami Allport of Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern to promote this annual event. For those of you who would like to volunteer next year, just give Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern a call and ask. You will find it heartwarming as well.

Jim Pratt

Albion

Editor:

After the election of Donald Trump, a year ago, I wrote a letter that I titled “Hate Won.” A year ago, I could only write about his hateful campaign promises; now I can write how he has fulfilled those promises.

The Trump administration has used racial profiling to make very public, aggressive arrests using excessive force by masked officers, in full tactical gear, including the use of military helicopters, to apprehend and deport people (including U.S. citizens) without due process.

Dressing officers in full tactical gear, purposefully using excessive force to make violent public arrests are done to dehumanize people. Officers wear masks to prevent accountability for using cruel and excessive force in violation of our Constitution and the law.

The leader of the Republican Party has called entire communities garbage, an ugly and hateful expression. Not one Republican has objected. It is obvious they revel in harming, subjugating and dispossessing those they consider the wrong race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and Congressman Nick Langworthy support the dehumanization of immigrants. Ms. Tenney, in fact wants to put an image of Mr. Trump on Mr. Rushmore for his policies of racism and hate.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

The Orleans County Veterans Affairs deserve thanks for providing a wonderful event  on Tuesday night at the White Birch.

Honoring so many Orleans County  veterans with this kind of event is a great way of thanking these veterans who gave years of service. Many were never recognized or honored in the past.

Please continue because these veterans are very grateful.

Jeanne Crane

Waterport

Editor:

It has been an honor to serve our community as Orleans County District Attorney and lead the office in overseeing hundreds of cases in local and county courts including the Integrated Domestic Violence Court, Drug Court, Youth and Family Court.

Our lean staff is active 365 days a year participating in arraignments on new arrests to follow due process, provide justice and keep our community safe.

We have hundreds of cases pending in local courts and many active indictments in County Court. That doesn’t include all of the traffic cases we prosecute for our ten towns across Orleans County.

That’s why it’s so frustrating when Governor Hochul and state legislative leaders ask local prosecutors like us to do more with less.

The recent pressure of criminal justice reforms coming from the State Capital have made it even harder to carry out our mission. Mandates like discovery reform are usually unfunded and can cause serious delays in our ability to prosecute crime and secure favorable outcomes in a timely manner.

I applaud the Orleans County Legislature for unanimously passing a resolution calling on Albany to reform our state’s discovery laws. That’s an important step in telling our state government that we’re struggling to keep up with their unrealistic demands.

But we must also prioritize public safety right here at home and focus on what we can control.

This year, a critical Assistant District Attorney position was cut from the Orleans County budget. That prosecutor handled several justice courts, assisted in presenting cases to the grand jury, and oversaw the supervision of investigations being conducted by law enforcement for cases not yet arrested.

In fact, we recently recruited a young, highly experienced felony prosecutor who could have been a wonderful asset to our community. Sadly, the budget no longer funds this position.

I understand the need to keep taxes low and be responsible stewards of local tax dollars. We certainly shouldn’t take any cues from Albany or New York City on how to properly spend a dollar wisely. However, it’s incumbent upon our local officials to act accordingly when Albany politicians create an already burdensome system to make sure we have the proper tools to be successful.

It comes down to wants versus needs.

The District Attorney’s office needs to be available to assist law enforcement with oversight and advice for investigations, search warrants and subpoenas.

We need to be available for witnesses, victims, other agencies, and County Departments like the Sheriff’s Office’s newly-convened Threat Assessment Committee (TAC).

We need to reestablish this critical role in the District Attorney’s office so our staff can effectively seek justice for victims and hold accountable those who do harm.

When I took my oath of office, I pledged to uphold the Constitution and work tirelessly to secure justice and be an advocate for Orleans County residents. I will keep fighting for those values and our community.

Susan Howard

District Attorney of Orleans County