It was a revelation to me when I heard Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks made a definitive statement on the House floor that COVID-19 leaked from a Wuhan lab. From what I’ve read, no one knows the genesis of the pandemic. She offered no proof to back her claim.

More to the point, her commentary creates hate against Asian and Pacific Islander populations.  Since COVID-19 started, Asians have been violently targeted for no justifiable reason.

Former President Donald Trump used racism to divide citizens. It is very sad to see an Iowa representative sow such division, cause confusion, and flat out lie to her constituents.

Previous representatives James Leach and Dave Loebsack conducted district business in a reserved manner and dealt in truth. They voted responsibly, took their office seriously, and were never an embarrassment to themselves or Iowa as is Miller-Meeks.

Despite more than adequate time and continuous calls across the district for Miller-Meeks to represent us in a responsible manner, she refuses to do so. Miller-Meeks has chosen the politics of division as her path to re-election. Iowans must reject this in a loud voice.

I believe Christina Bohannan in 2022 can return the first district to the honest, straight forward representation we were used to. Bohannan’s opponent simply can’t be trusted.

-Dave Bradley, West Liberty Resident