I am appalled that the Star-Advertiser would publish the rantings of a Heartland Institute commentator like Justin Haskins (“Should Dems retain Pelosi as House speaker?,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 19). Putting his opinion on Nancy Pelosi’s speakership of the U.S. House opposite a respected political scientist like Matthew Harrigan creates another instance of false equivalency. The political scientist deals in facts. The propagandist deals in “alternative” facts — an egregious oxymoron.

The Heartland Institute denies climate change and has worked with the Philip Morris company to deny the injurious effects of smoking. Haskins has claimed that a carbon tax on corporations is a tax on the poor. He has attacked the Mueller investigation as a “witch hunt.” In this op-ed, he has made misleading claims about the Affordable Care Act.

In short, he is an apologist for far right, who will tell any falsehood in order to keep the 1 percent in power.

The free press in a democracy should be the arbiter of truth, not the uncritical publisher of those who seek to undermine the very foundations of democracy.

Ann Freed

Mililani

Click here to read more Letters to the Editor.