So Much Depends on Garland

So much depended on enigmatic Democratic senators Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema. Their votes were crucial to modifying the filibuster rule so that voting rights and election integrity protection bills could be enacted to contravene laws passed by Republican-controlled legislatures designed to tilt election results in favor of Republican loyalist candidates regardless of the will of a majority of voters. Manchin and Sinema whiffed, each making clear that they preferred to serve their perceived self-interests rather than save American democracy from likely extinction.

Now, so much depends on Attorney General Garland. He needs to follow through on his promise to prosecute perpetrators of grave federal crimes “at any level.” Our democracy might still be saved if the most gross prominent Republican malefactors, including, indeed, in particular, Donald Trump, are unflinchingly investigated and prosecuted. To shy away from that duty, to be fearful of the divisiveness and ugly responses that enforcing the law would generate, would be a great gift to Trump and his associates and a great disservice to our country.