OK, a slight diversion from travel stories. This is a political story that needs attention. As always, historian Heather Cox Richardson has the direct, simple to understand take on this. From her article:

“In February 2018, the House Intelligence Committee was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the president became obsessed with figuring out who was apparently leaking information to the press about contacts between his people and Russia. 

Under then–Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Department of Justice subpoenaed from Apple the records of the communications of California Democrats Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the committee, and—we learned at about 11:00 tonight—Eric Swalwell, both of whom were key critics of Trump. The department also investigated members of their families, including one child. The government seized the records of at least a dozen people.

“[G]ood God,” journalist Jennifer Rubin tweeted. “They were running a police state.” For the Department of Justice to subpoena records from congressional lawmakers is extraordinary. For it to investigate their families, as well, is mind boggling.”

“They were running a police state.” That, in a nutshell is why none of the Trump cabal should ever be allowed to hold a position of power again. And should be prosecuted. The government does not and should not have the power to investigate citizens just because it doesn’t like what you say or do, or who you are. That’s dictatorship at its worst. That’s everything America was not supposed to be.

During 2016-2020, we didn’t quite realize or understand that we were living under a dictatorship. As the truth comes out, it’s terrifying. We didn’t dodge a bullet, we dodged a nuclear missile.