The attacks on Mueller push us closer to the precipice
https://www.washingtonpost.com/ampht...010_story.html
Only recently, it was widely assumed that if Trump fired Mueller, many Republicans would rise up to defend our institutions. Now, many in the party are laying the groundwork for justifying a coverup. This is a recipe for lawlessness.
We also assumed that Mueller's findings would be respected because of his deserved reputation for fairness and independence. Just last May, Newt Gingrich called him a "superb choice to be special counsel" and praised his "honesty and integrity." Now, pro-Trump politicians feel free to contradict anything they said in the past and to dismiss what they once saw as legitimate authority if those who hold it threaten their power. This is a recipe for autocracy.
Trump himself told us plainly on Friday night in Pensacola, Fla., that he will do whatever it takes to hold power, and he should be taken seriously. "There are powerful forces in Washington trying to sabotage our movement," he declared. "These are bad people, these are very, very bad and evil people. . . . But you know what, we're stopping them. You're seeing that right now."
We are far closer to the edge than we want to think.