It's not every day that a sitting president savages as "in tatters" the reputation of the federal government's top law enforcement arm, but it is a fairly common practice for those who have something to fear from police and prosecutors to attack them as biased, ineffectual or dishonest.
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Perhaps the most notable moment of all came Sunday when Mr. Trump's attorney, John Dowd, took responsibility for an especially problematic Saturday tweet in which the president admitted he knew Mr. Flynn had lied to the FBI before he fired him
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Does anyone seriously believe Mr. Dowd actually did that? Or was he just protecting his client from a criminal charge (keeping in mind that the tweet in question was one of 10 on the subject of the Russia investigation from Mr. Trump's account)?
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All of which suggests there is, indeed, a reputation in tatters, but it doesn't belong to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. And it isn't just the well-soiled one belonging to the man in the Oval Office who seems to find new ways to debase his office and country on an almost daily basis. No, the public should save some outrage for all those in Congress who are watching these shenanigans, these attacks on the rule of law and mockery of law enforcement, and are lifting not a finger to do anything about it.

Republicans like to make a big show of their support for the military and for police. What about the men and women of the FBI who put their lives on the line every day to fight crime and protect national security? What would it take for current GOP members of Congress to show the kind of intestinal fortitude that the party demonstrated when Richard M. Nixon was abusing his authority four decades ago and call Mr. Trump on his transgressions? What's the price of their silence? A tax bill? The next election? It would be nice to know.

— The Baltimore Sun
- Bakersfield.com