Dear Senators,

I think we can all see the President is not well. It is not to his benefit–or the Nation’s–for him to be surrounded by blind loyalists. 

When was the last time a president of either party insisted that his cabinet nominees accept a fiction of such consequence as this one, that a presidential election was stolen? From the testimonies of Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, is it not clear he has done that?

A number of you on the Judiciary Committee posed to Bondi and Patel this question in one form or another: who won the 2020 election? Neither could give a straightforward answer, and that should matter to all of you.  

These nominees were chosen because they are unburdened by truth. All of you who were trapped in the Capitol on January 6th know how far Trump will go to avoid giving up power. Has he uttered one word of remorse to any of you, or the Capitol police, or the poor souls who did his dirty work? 

Do any of you believe he will accept a peaceful transfer of power in 2028?

The President is not well.  And he could not ask for a more revering F.B.I. director than Patel, author of the three-book children series titled, “The Plot Against the King”. Could anyone today get away with writing a children’s book titled, “The Plot Against Democracy”? 

Several senators asked Patel and Bondi if they would be willing to resign if given an illegal order by the President. Patel was especially dodgy, incapable of a one-word answer.

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v.United States, is there any longer such a thing as an illegal presidential order? The President now enjoys “absolute immunity” in “exercising his core constitutional powers”, which includes “official discussions between the President and his Attorney General” [and presumably the F.B.I. director]. 

Or, is there still such a thing as an illegal order, but the President does not have to answer for it? Can an Attorney General be prosecuted for complying with that same order? Pity the poor civics teacher.

Patel’s terrible memory and his inability to comment on his own incriminating statements without the benefit of hearing the “entire statement” demonstrates a low regard for Congress. 

How can it be  that someone with what amounts to an enemies list and has promised retribution is even being considered for F.B.I. director? Retribution is already underway, though Patel told the Committee he had no knowledge of it. Right. And what would those purged be guilty of? Investigating a president’s plot against his own country.

Senators, this dark chapter in our history cannot end well for Donald Trump, who transgresses all bounds. Violent Trump loyalists back on the streets can’t be of comfort to any of you with a conscience, because someday soon you will have no choice but to be disloyal. You might look down on Liz Cheney, Mitt Romney, and Cassidy Hutchinson today. But just wait.

We need courageous leadership. The sooner each of you looks in the mirror, as Cassidy Hutchinson did one day, to decide if you like what you see, the better for you and the Nation. 

The truth will make you free.

Todd Buchanan