Letter: Herald story demonizing Kennedy was unfair

Editor,

Recently partisan hit pieces were sent out to voters in Legislative District 10, produced and paid for by a far-left political PAC in order to distort and defeat the Republican candidate for position 1, Carrie Kennedy. The record must be corrected.

New Direction PAC and the Everett Herald have accused Kennedy of favoring execution for her “political opponents.” Bold-faced lie. In 2021 Kennedy was not running for any office and certainly never contending for Swalwell’s seat in Congress. Instead she was reacting to news that Swalwell had been outed for sleeping with a known Chinese spy. Many Americans were enraged and speculated whether treason was involved — and if it was, what punishment should be meted out. Historically, traitors have been shot or hung.

The PAC flyers urge recipients to “check the facts,” referring to the false report originally put out by Jordan Hansen and the Everett Herald, thereby validating their own accusations by citing the original hit piece — nice circular “proof.” The Herald’s unfounded and distorted claims accuse Kennedy of being a member of Oath Keepers and other “militant” organizations. She is not. She has, however, promised (sworn an oath) to keep her promises and to uphold the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Washington. In fact, all office holders and bureaucrats and military members swear the same OATH.

As for her support for that “extremist” group, Moms for Liberty — they are no more extreme than parents who stand up for their children at school board meetings. As for transgenderism, all Kennedy has said is that girls’/women’s sports should be for biological women only.

Ivermectin, demonized during Covid as “horse medicine” and again by the Everett Herald as a “treatment for parasites,” has since been redeemed and declared legitimate for human use, and its curative powers are now widely acknowledged (see the FDA announcement in March of this year).

Accusations and distortions like these are disgusting, designed to tarnish a grassroots candidate seeking to change the leftist, progressive, globalist direction of our government. Just as shameful are those who pass along these lies without questioning their veracity, contacting Kennedy, or giving her the benefit of the doubt. No wonder it is hard to get good people to run for office. We the people deserve what we get when we slander, libel, distort, and disrespect those willing to stand up to a partisan, pandering leftist movement.

Peggy Shekem

Coupeville

Editor’s note: Allegations that Rep. Swalwell had a romantic relationship with a Chinese spy has been widely debunked. The House Ethics Committee cleared him of any wrongdoing, according to the Wall Street Journal and many other sources.