Letters to the editor: Newsom and oil; park's name change; Trump and the law

Newsom’s false bravado over oil

Re: Tom Elias’ April 4 column, “Message on gas gouging hurts the state’s GOP”:

I’d like Mr. Elias to put aside his Newsom fan-boy status by asking some tough questions of the governor. Why are the oil companies so much more diabolical here than in other states? Why do Californians pay so much more for fuel? At the end of a month, or a year, does Mr. Elias really believe that fuel prices in California are going to be lower due to Newsom’s bravado?

Regarding the election outcome which led to the Legislature’s support for Newsom’s farce, the results were predictable. There’s no balance to the voting populace; they left. In 2021, 360,000 people departed California, and it’s estimated that over 70% of them were conservative-leaning, and their voting records reflected that. They got tired of excessive taxation, anti-business policies, and micro-management.

Back to fuel prices/oil companies: How much do state government policies impact a corporation’s willingness and ability to do business in that state?

Daniel G. Mattera, Thousand Oaks

Park’s name change is good news

Re: your April 6 story, “Oxnard Beach Park to receive Chumash name”:

I was so glad to read positive local news today, learning that Oxnard Beach Park will be renamed with the Chumash word for dolphin, ‘olol’koy, to honor the original inhabitants of this unceded land. Thank you to Manuel Herrera for initiating this action, and to the Oxnard City Council for unanimously approving the name change.

Kari Aist, Ventura

Donald Trump isn’t above the law

Re: Phil Boas’ April 6 guest column, “This Trump case is no Watergate”:

In his column, Mr. Boas accuses the Manhattan District Attorney prosecuting former President Donald Trump of attempting to turn a criminal case into a political power grab. If the United States of America is truly a nation based on the rule of law, then Donald Trump is not above the law.

It is entirely fitting that Donald Trump be indicted, arrested, and tried in a court of law as anyone else accused of breaking the law. If the facts of the case prove guilt, Donald Trump should be convicted. The argument some make that the criminal case against a former president is unprecedented is not correct. There was a very strong criminal case in the works against Richard Nixon when Gerald Ford pardoned the former president. The charges against Nixon included obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy.

Even though the charges against Trump in Manhattan were not committed during his presidency, does not negate the fact that living under the rule of law applies to everyone, no matter who they are, how much money they have, or where they used to work.

Carol Brock, Ventura

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Newsom and oil; park's name change; Trump and the law