5/31/2019

My dear Friend and president, DJT,

            I'm in Santa Barbara today to meet with the advisory board of a grant I am involved with. We are working on improving teacher education in the state by better understanding the effects that UC programs have on the teachers we train. It's a challenging research agenda because so many factors affect teachers' success in the field. I've become interested in teachers' social networks and the degree to which friends helps one another to be advocates for equity. 

            Do your friends help you to be an advocate for equity? I'm not really sure who your friends are. I know you have a lot of associates but I am not sure how close you are to any of them. It seems that WPB is your friend because he's changing the narrative about the Russia investigation to make it sound like it should never have happened. It's awfully nice of him to do that for you. Most Attorney Generals would avoid questioning the FBI that way. I hope you'll thank him for it. I also hope he reminds you to advocate for equity.

            Have you talked with him about pardoning Chief Edward Gallagher(EG)? I'm not convinced it would be equitable, unless you plan to personally review every case of a serviceman accused of a crime. I don't think it would be prudent to assume that you know more than a military court and pardon individuals just because they have a squad of well-placed friends. US News reports that many veteran groups oppose EG's pardon. I hope you'll take the suggestion offered by Defense One to not rush it. I encourage you to wait until the trial is over. EG just got released so, for the time being, he doesn't need a pardon.

            Speaking of pardons, you'll have to pardon me. I have to get going.