Despite special prosecutor circling in, Seventh District Congressman completely supports the president

The indictment of top aides and a persistent special prosecutor did nothing to dampen our Seventh District Congressman's full and complete support of the president.

In a letter obtained by the Turner Report, the congressman reminded a constituent that most of the people working for the special prosecutor were Democrats.

"He has made it clear that he intends to stay in business all during the (president's) administration and will investigate whatever he pleases, all the while answerable to no man."

The Congressman wrote a letter to the president letting him know he has his back. "I would like to take this opportunity of expressing to you my heartfelt and sincere appreciation for the leadership that you have provided for this nation during your administration.

"I realize the past few days have been trying ones for you, but I want you to know that it is my sincere belief that a vast majority of the American people have full confidence in your integrity, your dedication to purpose and are most appreciate of the courageous manner in which you conduct the office of the presidency."

The Congressman has noted that letters to his office run eight to one in the president's favor.

"I firmly believe the president had no knowledge (of this)." the Congressman said.

No matter how much things change, they remain the same. The president who had full and complete support of the Seventh District Congressman and his constituents was not Donald Trump, but Richard Nixon. The Congressman was Sarcoxie Republican Gene Taylor and this took place during Taylor's first term in office.

Twenty-five years ago, I interviewed Congressman Taylor for a five-part series I did for the Carthage Press called "Presidents I Have Known." Taylor was president while Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan were in the White House and knew George H. W. Bush.

In addition to interviewing Congressman Taylor, I researched his papers, which are housed at Missouri Southern State University, getting a feel for that era through the words of Congressman Taylor, the newsletters he wrote to his constituents, letters he received and copies of the letters he wrote back to those who were caught up in the unfolding saga of Watergate.

In February 1974, Taylor joined other congressmen signing a letter urging Nixon not to quit. Nixon wrote Taylor on February 20, "It is my intention to remain on the job and perform my duties in the best fashion possible. As I endeavor to fulfill my responsibilities, it is reassuring to know that I have your support.

A few months later, Nixon called Taylor and one of Taylor's predecessors as Seventh District Congressman Dewey Short to the White House.

After the two Missourians were ushered in to see the president, Nixon began talking about Watergate and the House Judiciary Committee's ongoing impeachment hearings.

"To go through what he had to go through," Taylor said, "he had to have nerves of steel. He said he didn't plan to resign, but even then I thought he would. The end was at hand. He had let Haldeman and Ehrlichmann (chief of staff and chief domestic policy adviser) go. Something was going to have to give. It wasn't a good thing and it wasn't necessary.'

Nixon asked Taylor and Short for advice. "Dewey gave him some good advice. He told him to be completely truthful. President Nixon said he had been.

"The problem was he hadn't been. The next week more tapes came out." Two weeks after that, Richard Nixon resigned.

"When he resigned," Taylor said, "it was a pitiful thing. A lot of great accomplishments were buriedin the rubble of Watergate. He was one of the smartest presidents we've ever had. He was an expert in foreign affairs. He knew every country and its leader like the back of his hand. He was a brilliant man.

"But those tapes became the issue. His work in international affairs, opening channels to the Soviet Union and China, they were great things.

"Hell, if the tapes had been mine, I would taken them and burned them."