Rep. Jeff Hurd, it is time to distance yourself from the unconstitutional power grabs of this president and establish yourself as a truly independent legislator. You have done well for us in the Third District – in constant communication with your constituents, defending water rights, building energy productivity and working to reduce exposure to wildfire threats. Your virtual town halls and newsletters, as well as your efforts when in the district to meet and talk with us, are commendable. You are a hard worker and deserve a second term.
However, calling yourself a “constitutional Conservative” is not a label your voting record supports, and this disconnect will damage your reelection prospects. A conservative who genuinely respects our Constitution would not permit the now-common executive recessions of appropriated funds, Venezuelan under-the-table revenue that are therefore never managed by Congress, ongoing military operations without congressional oversight, and most recently, the creation of a slush fund to pay out settlements decided by five unelected commissioners. Whatever happened to “Congress controls the purse?”
You did oppose such overreach when voting against Canadian tariffs. Now it is time to continue that opposition in order to defend the role of Congress in fiscal matters and war funding. This is a key issue for voters, and one in which federal courts increasingly are ruling against side-stepping Congress. Read the room, Jeff – your constituents do not want, and will not vote for, uber-partisan representatives who do what they’re told, even when they know it’s wrong.
Michael Brennan
Durango
