Joseph Sabino Mistick: We need leaders who support our laws

For most of my life, politicians in both parties have stood for law and order, and Republicans have been traditionally strong in their support.

But while my Republican friends quickly denounced the Jan. 6 violence by the far right, a large group of Republicans chose safe reelection over their party’s traditional principle.

There was a bad sign in the days just after the Jan. 6 insurrection, when the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to award Congressional Gold Medals to the police officers who protected them from the violent mob.

The officers had been outnumbered and outgunned. It was hand-to-hand combat. Three officers later died, but 21 so-called “conservative Republicans” voted against awarding the medals to the police. If shame still counted for anything, that’s a vote they will struggle to live with.

Now, after a legally executed search warrant to recover top secret files from the home of Donald Trump, some Republicans have threatened and tried to intimidate FBI agents for doing their jobs. The former president — still the flamethrower-in-chief — said Mar-a-Lago was under “siege” by FBI agents. Other Republican officials amped up the dangerous talk.

Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, without any facts, tore into Attorney General Merrick Garland, warning him of dire consequences if Republicans take the House majority. “The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization,” said McCarthy, who is hoping to be the next speaker of the House.

Sen. Rick Scott compared the FBI agents to Hitler’s Gestapo and East Germany’s secret police — common charges from the right. Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted, “I will support a complete dismantling and elimination of the democrat brown shirts known as the FBI.” And right-wing media exploded with threats that are not repeated here out of good sense.

Just as the Jan. 6 rhetoric resulted in violence, the loose talk was followed by an armed attack on the FBI’s Cincinnati field office three days later. It ended with a gunfight and the death of the assailant, but the rhetoric has continued.

If you think that Trump is being singled out with this investigation, remember that President Bill Clinton was investigated by a Republican administration after he left office. Two grand juries took evidence, and hundreds of people were interviewed. The investigation lasted four years and ended with no prosecution.

Both parties have their crackpots who are usually condemned from within their own ranks when their words are likely to undermine the rule of law. Traditionally, that is the role of party leaders.

The Watergate scandal began in 1972 and ended with President Richard Nixon’s resignation two years later.

The investigation included grand jury testimony, subpoenaed records and damaging testimony by the president’s aides. Both parties participated in congressional hearings. It ended when three powerful Republican leaders — Sen. Barry Goldwater, Sen. Hugh Scott and Rep. John Rhodes — visited Nixon in the White House and told him it was time for him to go.

Both political parties have struggled with changing times, and the Republican Party is certainly not the GOP of the past. But what the nation needs now most of all is political leadership from both parties that strengthens the core values of American society. And first among these is support for our laws and our legal structure.