U.S. Congressional (CD45) Nominee Ron Varasteh Challenges Congresswoman Mimi Walters

(Irvine, CA) — As a proud constituent and U.S. Congressional nominee for California’s District 45 in Orange County, I can no longer stay silent in the wake of Donald Trump’s latest outrageous comments. This isn’t the first time Mr. Trump has used such appalling and disrespectful language towards women, and I’m baffled as to why our Representative in U.S. Congress, Mimi Walters, continues to support– and fully endorse– Donald Trump.

Several days have passed since Trump’s offensive comments were released, and I’m appalled as to why Mimi Walters has not yet renounced her support and endorsement of Donald Trump. Most Americans had already rejected Trump’s candidacy long before the tape was released last Friday. Indeed, many Americans never even took Donald Trump seriously from the beginning. That’s why it’s so puzzling that it took Mimi Walters so long to speak out against him.

As a self-proclaimed advocate for victims of sexual assault, Mimi Walters should have known better. Mimi has even spearhead legislation called the Survivor’s Rights Act, which is designed to protect victims of sexual assault. In view of her ongoing support for Donald Trump, Mimi’s advocacy on behalf of sexual assault victims seems hypocritical at best.

On Saturday, Mimi Walters “condemned” Trump’s comments, but Mimi’s statement didn’t go far enough. It was too little, too late. Mimi’s statement was just a half-hearted attempt to distance herself from Donald Trump in the 11th hour. In her statement, Mimi said that Trump is the only person who bears responsibility for his words and actions: “He alone is accountable for his words and actions.”

This is a good point, but if politicians like Mimi had done the right thing and abandoned Trump long ago he wouldn’t have been able to continue spreading his destructive message or become the Republican Party’s nominee for President. Mimi Walters and other Trump supporters must own up to their responsibility for allowing Trump to hijack our country with hateful, ignorant, and derogatory rhetoric.

Accordingly, I call on Mimi to immediately withdraw her support and full endorsement of Donald Trump for U.S. President. It’s disgraceful that our political representative continues to support him– even as scores of people from Trump’s own Republican Party abandon him in droves. Mimi’s lack of judgment regarding Donald Trump invariably raises questions about her own moral character. Instead of falling in line behind her party, Mimi should have taken a strong stand against Mr. Trump from the beginning. Mimi has demonstrated a failure of leadership and I think we can do better.

Humbly Yours,

Ron Varasteh