Readers Write: The Ellisons' divorce records, 'How I'm voting,' Jamal Khashoggi, Mitch McConnell, Little Free Library creator Todd Bol

Now that the Star Tribune has forced open the sealed documents from U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison's divorce, we discover that he is the rarest of all humans, a serial protector of vulnerable women and their reputations ("Records show no abuse by Ellison," Oct. 18). You will note that he has not made a single accusation against his former girlfriend, but simply denied her story of being abused. Is it possible that he is also protecting her from her own vulnerability?

The real question is whether or not Ellison is tough enough. Will he spend all his energy protecting the vulnerable and fail to kowtow to the wealthy? Will he be too honest? Is the state ready for a person who respects women? Or are we going to pile on with followers of President Donald Trump who believe it is their right to sexually harass vulnerable women?

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I find it inconceivable why the Star Tribune found it necessary to have someone's private life publicized for all to know. Why do you feel it's a good thing to lay open the private lives of Keith and Kim Ellison? You gave no thought to their children's feelings, either. How shameful. What is your reason? What did you achieve other than to make two fellow lives painful? No matter your religion, a God is involved. Does your God condone this kind of behavior? How shameful.

Any ill effects to the Ellison family that arise from this tabloid fodder are on your heads.

I did not vote for Ellison in the primary election for Minnesota attorney general, because of the confusion of his ex-girlfriend's accusations. Due to your calloused actions, I will be voting for him on Nov. 6. I wonder if this so-called "newspaper" had something to do with Karen Monahan's unsubstantiated claims also? Shame on you!

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But the policy page of his opponent Doug Wardlow is thin, citing a handful of broad topics, with no detail. His party makes headlines by mudslinging, expressing a burning desire to turn Minnesota "red" and pledging to fire all lawyers in the Attorney General's Office who vote Democratic and replace them with Republicans. Somehow Wardlow has already identified 42 attorneys that he would ax, though there is currently no such litmus test for party affiliation within the office.

Let's support leaders who want to bring people together to address problems constructively, not create animosity and "us" vs. "them" scenarios. Let's elect those who pledge to work for all Minnesotans, not just a select faction. It's time to make Minnesota purple again.

It seems the tenor of letters and discussion during this political season continues to try to divide. I am a longtime independent, who votes for the candidate (all offices) who I feel provides the best representation for office. One writer ("How I'm voting," Oct. 17) starts out with a rip on a longtime Republican and Trump-ets his favorite politician. I am concerned for this letter writer when I read "President Trump has accomplished much … largely on his own" and then the tired "fake news" and invocation of "liberals."

Unfortunately, this can be the tired argument of both major parties. There is a lot of leadership required for the highest offices, but to think one individual makes the difference travels into the rainbow and unicorn segment. To say that one party will destroy is truly having blinders on, and unfortunately too many Americans are unwilling to be critical thinkers about where our country needs to go to move ahead.

The latest spin by President Donald Trump and his depraved administration on the disappearance and grotesque assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi is that they are working with the Saudi kingdom on a "mutually agreeable explanation" of how Khashoggi's life ended. The world now knows that our president can be bought, even when it comes to murder. Human rights are now just another cost of "the art of the deal." Anyone with any shred of integrity left should be feeling physically, emotionally and spiritually sickened to know that for as long as we tolerate this type of subterfuge, we are complicit in whatever our nation devolves into.

We were the beacon of morality for the whole world. The shameful murder of Khashoggi by the Saudis should make us suspend our alliance with this rogue state regardless of the economic impact. We need to impose sanctions on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and stop our participation in the alliance for bombing in Yemen.

Remember that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia.

As that great American Gomer Pyle used to say, "Surprise, surprise, surprise."

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the man most responsible for bullying through the GOP tax cut by promising that it would, in fact, reduce the national debt, has now admitted that the deficit is out of control. His proposed solution? Cut entitlements.

If you didn't see this coming, you, too, are a gomer.