Stop the witch hunts by congressional committees

The election is over and Republicans have been victorious. We now face an unfettered partisan presidency and Congress who have been handed a stunning victory. As citizens who are on the losing side, I speak as one who offers prayers for President-Elect Trump and for our nation as we face the unknown future of our country and of the world.

I knew if Hillary won, the animosity of the House and Senate majorities would be aimed full-bore at bringing down Hillary at any cost. Reps. Chavetz, Issa, and Gowdy have achieved fame as chief antagonists, in a war of sorts, against President Obama and Hillary Clinton. They owe much of their "popularity" in Republican circles, assigning "guilt" in a costly exercise known as the Benghazi Select Committee.

I believe that it is a case of malfeasance in office and evidence of the corruption that exists when congressional hearings become inquisitions, assigning guilt, without regard for facts, without regard for cost, without any regard for time spent posturing and posing in front of TV cameras, creating their own little kingdoms at the nation's expense.

Did you know that the Benghazi Select Committee, in 13 months, spent at least $3.5 million, exceeding the entire House Intelligence Committee budget? On a newscast the day after the election, I heard Rep. Gowdy pronounce that he would continue to pursue hearings on Benghazi and the emails. Maybe it's time to pursue a class-action suit against the Benghazi Select Committee and its members for malfeasance.

Maybe it's time for citizens to initiate protests on abuses of power by congressional committees that suck the air and treasure from our nation's government to satisfy partisan witch hunts and gain fame. Shame on them.

Elizabeth Hansen

Schaumburg