Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Donald Trump is making much of the timing and motives of both those who are accusing him of sexual assault, among other things, as well as the several media outlets reporting them.  As an investigator for 16 years, 14 of them for a large southern city, I see this tactic for what it is – an attempt to deflect the implications of those allegations.  

The unit I worked for investigated allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse of city resources by anyone with access to them – employees, vendors, and contractors. We had broad authority and a hotline that allowed the accusers to be anonymous. We believed it was worth the risk of receiving frivolous or even fabricated allegations in order to encourage people to report without fear of retaliation. Being unconcerned about accusers’ identities, and even their motives and timing, freed us to focus on whether we could obtain enough relevant, credible evidence to determine if the allegations were true or not and to defend our work from vested interests, some of them politically powerful. That’s what mattered, and that’s what matters with allegations against candidates for public office. Like managing our own prejudice, it takes mental/emotional effort, which many of us are unwilling to put forth. 

Steve Turman, Red Oak