The Republican Party's desperation is on full display in Palm Beach, Florida, where local GOP leaders are so fearful of a Democratic wave that they're considering shielding an indicted official from consequences. Mike Caruso, the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts, was arrested in August on charges of child sex abuse and suspended from office, yet he insists he'll win re-election. While state officials have distanced themselves, the Palm Beach GOP remains loyal, a stance that would make any decent Floridian recoil.
The Miami Herald's report on October 5 coincided with the death of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican who served prison time for hushing up his own sexual abuse of minors. At least Hastert's party had the decency to abandon him. Today's GOP shows no such shame, clinging to Caruso as if principle were a liability.
This isn't an isolated lapse but a systemic moral bankruptcy. The rise of Trumpism has accelerated a decay that was already eroding the party's ethical foundations. Republicans have traded their values for power, and now they stand for nothing except winning. House Speaker Mike Johnson, addressing donors earlier this year, boasted that he "run[s] the protection program" in Washington, promising to "take care" of his financiers. Such brazenness would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
The scandal around Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) offered a chance for Republicans to rediscover their consciences, but they failed again. Court documents reveal harrowing allegations: throwing hot water on his ex-wife, holding a gun to her head, and fracturing his daughter's collarbone. The child, at just two years old, reportedly told her mother, "Daddy kill you." Miller's response was pure Trumpian sleaze—denials, threats to release damaging info about his father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno, and a refusal to drop out, betting correctly that his party would look the other way to keep a House seat.
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) has said Miller "is our nominee right now," hoping the allegations aren't true. Speaker Johnson remains loyal, and the White House has pressured lawmakers to stay quiet. RNC chair Joe Gruters summed up the party's stance: "We're gonna support our nominees. We need to make sure we hold the majorities." But what's the point of a majority if it's used solely to protect the corrupt?
The 119th Congress has been historically unproductive, passing fewer bills than any in over half a century. So much energy has gone into defending Miller and Trump that governing has fallen by the wayside. Johnson even recessed the House until after Election Day to avoid impeachment proceedings against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This is a party that has abandoned its legislative duties for self-preservation.
As Democrats eye a potential Senate majority, the GOP's moral collapse could cost them dearly. Voters may be repulsed by a party that shields abusers and prioritizes power over people. If Democrats win in November, they'll find plenty of Republicans deserving of scrutiny. The GOP's transformation into a protection racket is a stain on American democracy.
