Al Fonzi's latest commentary in New Times ("A grave threat to the Republic," Dec. 21) scores a 10 at attempting to reveal the current and past state of affairs at the Justice Department and FBI. Whether your views lean Democrat or Republican, our first allegiance is to our country, in which we abide by laws and uphold our Constitution. Both departments have skirted the law when they have seen fit, however as mentioned, the FBI under Hoover overstepped those bounds, and recently we see there might be evidence that those oversteps seems to have happened again. Whether we agree or disagree with Trump's attempts to make America great again, I believe none of us wish to see an agency or federal department working to undermine and overthrow a presidency. Those acts even in a Third World country would be a disgrace. We must endeavor to uncover the truth, however embarrassing to one side or the other, and even though our institutions will always be imperfect, their oversight must be unchallenged for the sake of our democracy.

Dave Mason

Los Osos