If my regular readers (hi, mom) will forgive me, I’d like to turn today’s column into an open letter to one person — the U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, representing Colorado’s 5^th Congressional District. Everyone but Lamborn can skip this column if they wish; I’ll be back with more for everyone on Friday.

Dear Congressman Lamborn,

Hi there! You may remember me as the guy who ran against you in 2008. We had a pretty good relationship, I think. I began each of my campaign speeches by saying that you were an honorable and decent person, who is doing what he thinks is best for the country, although you were wrong on most everything. That always generated a smile, but hopefully also set a tone of mutual respect, and argued that patriotism is not the sole province of one political party.

As the representative of the 5^th district, you have perhaps the safest seat in the entire Congress. Even retired military officers (Irv Halter, a retired general, no less, and me) couldn’t break through against you in an election. You will be the congressman for CD 5 for as long as you wish. You don’t need anyone else’s support.

Which brings me to make a rather radical suggestion for you…

Very soon, you will cast the most historic vote of your time in the House — the vote on impeaching Donald Trump. And here is my crazy, nutty, idea: vote yes.

I noted above that I always called you an honorable opponent. This vote is one where you can demonstrate that you place country over party, right over wrong, honesty over deceit — all you need to do is vote in favor of the impeachment of President Trump.

I know that would be a tough vote for you. But you know, in your heart, that Trump is not a true Republican. You know that he is fundamentally dishonest, and that, for example, he didn’t “turn down” being Time Magazine’s person of the year, and that he bullied a 16-year-old kid with Asperger’s. He just got fined $2 million for defrauding charities, including veterans’ groups, which should truly enrage you given the military nature of your district. 

You know that his claim of a “do nothing” Congress is nonsense. You have seen the nearly 400 bills that have been passed by the House (roughly 270 of which were fully bipartisan), only to die in “Moscow Mitch” McConnell’s Senate. And speaking of the Senate, you know that a couple decades ago, the GOPers were united in wanting to impeach President Clinton over lying about, well, a sex act. Many of today’s leaders are on record as stating, at that time, that lying about a sex act — or any lying at all in a president — is and should be grounds for impeachment. 

And let’s not pretend that the ultimate result isn’t known beforehand. Amazingly, the aforementioned Moscow Mitch has already declared what the outcome will be. Now, given that the Senate sits as the jury in an impeachment case, doesn’t it bother you, even just a little, that your party’s leadership in the Senate has not only declared that Trump will be acquitted, but also that Mitch — again, a jury member — will work closely with the White House to generate the preapproved acquittal. I ask you again, if Obama were doing these actions and not Trump, wouldn’t you be outraged?

As further evidence that Trump is not a true member of the once-great Republican Party, surely it must trouble you, as a lawyer yourself, that yet another candidate for a judgeship who was deemed “unqualified” by the American Bar Association (the metric by which Republican and Democratic presidents have picked nominees) has been confirmed to the federal bench for life? Surely there are truly qualified, intellectually honest, conservatives Trump could name, but he doesn’t care about silly things like qualifications and intellect — he only cares about one-way loyalty to him.

Congressman Lamborn, you, perhaps uniquely in history, have an opportunity to cast a vote for honor, for decency, and for truth. Your seat is safe, and your committee assignments are secure. You can rise above the dishonor that has infected the Republican Party and take a principled stand. You can help get GOP to stand for “grand old party” once again, instead of “gang of Putin.” 

I started off by stating my belief in your fundamental honesty and goodness, even as we disagree on the best path for America. And I remember what was told to me early in my military career by a senior officer I respected greatly — your honor must never be for sale. In time, Trump will be a former president, and history will tell the tale of those who stood with him as he disassembled the GOP and much of the Constitution, and it will also record the names of those who stood for what is right and honorable. 

I urge you, sir, to cast the vote that puts your name on the second list. Legacies matter, and yours is on the line.

Very Respectfully,

Hal Bidlack

Hal Bidlack is a retired professor of political science and a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who taught more than 17 years at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.