Published: January 20, 2025
By Jim Lichtman
After learning that one of Donald Trump’s first actions as president pardoned nearly all of the 1,600 January 6, defendants, police officer, Michael Fanone–who was almost beaten to death by Trump supporters said this:
“I have been betrayed by my country and I have been betrayed by those who supported Donald Trump. Whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons, or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming.”
That says it all.
Comments
Leave a Comment
Recent Commentaries

The Call That May Never Have Happened—But Still Matters
June 12, 2025

In Union There is Strength
June 11, 2025

A Day of Love—A Weekend of Force
June 7, 2025

It Just Doesn’t Stop
June 5, 2025

Why Harvard Still Needs Money
June 4, 2025

Four More Presidents Who Took an Ethical Stand
June 2, 2025

You Swore an Oath. Keep It
May 30, 2025

The Cost of Denying the Truth
May 28, 2025

Jake, Your Better Than This
May 26, 2025

Short and Sweet
May 23, 2025
Read More Articles
The Latest... And Sometimes Greatest
Two Men. Two Visions.
With the constant churn of headlines—political strife, cultural division, and an unrelenting news cycle—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, even numb. So when this week’s TIME...
May 22, 2025
What’s the Cost of Integrity? Why 60 Minutes Matters Now More Than Ever
Week after week, CBS’s 60 Minutes has done what journalism is supposed to do: hold those in power accountable, no matter the cost. The current...
May 21, 2025
Why Facts No Longer Matter (And Why That Matters)
In 2012, Justice David Souter—long retired, rarely seen—offered a quiet but powerful warning during a talk in New Hampshire. Reflecting on the erosion of civic...
May 19, 2025
The Cost of Doing the Right Thing
I met President Gerald Ford while working at KMIR-TV in Palm Springs. The event was held at the home of a wealthy supporter in Thunderbird...
May 16, 2025
When Conscience Led the Country
Jimmy Carter didn’t just talk about values—he lived them. Long before entering the White House in 1977, and long after he left, Carter viewed leadership...
May 15, 2025
Steady Leadership
Dwight D. Eisenhower didn’t lead with bravado. He didn’t govern by grievance. He led with character. A five-star general who commanded the Allied victory in...
May 14, 2025
Yes folks, you knew what was coming.