Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has stated “We are all afraid ... I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”

At least Sen. Murkowski is upfront about her fear. Sen. Sullivan is apparently afraid, too. He won’t show up for or schedule a town hall. The big difference between the two is that Murkowski is afraid of retaliation by colleagues in Washington. Sullivan is afraid of his constituents.

I don’t think I am overstating it when I say the regime that is occupying the White House is lawless and in a clear power grab. They are not OK with the powers laid out in the Constitution. They want a fascist regime, a dictatorship. They want absolute and complete power.

We were all warned. There are no guard rails with this regime. The Supreme Court gave the Executive Branch a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. They have not only upended our country but the world with their chaotic reign of terror.

The Executive Branch along with the Department of Justice are defying the courts. They have thumbed their noses at the rule of law. And when they get caught, they lie. Pete Hegseth is trying to blame the press for the situation he finds himself in. The press did not create that situation; he is responsible for Signalgate.

We have an opportunity to stand up for what is right. A rally at 5 p.m. today on the corners of Geist and Johansen will shine a light on these miscarriages of justice: Kilmar Abrego García wrongfully deported to a prison in El Salvador; Mahmoud Khalil, whose green card was invalidated without his knowledge and is detained in Louisiana; and Rumeysa Ozturk, who was abducted by ICE and is being held in a facility in Louisiana.

According to Marco Rubio, there are hundreds more whose visas have been terminated.

This is not a case about one man or woman. This is about protecting the constitutional rights of all who reside in the United States.

Trump speaks of deporting “homegrowns” to El Salvador. You could be next. Stand up for what is right.

Mary Calmes

Fairbanks