"Day after day, corrupt act after corrupt act, leaders of the Republican Party, with a few morally conscientious exceptions, were in lockstep. The large majority of Republicans indulged the president, supported him, and defended him; those who knew better lied for him, (1/5)

"they made excuses for him, and they cowered before him. They overlooked his crimes and his cruelty. Elected representatives quivered at the thought that he might tweet critically of them. (2/5)

"In one of the most craven political performances in generations, Senator Ted Cruz, who in 2016 saw Trump mock his wife and link his father to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, volunteered to represent one of the crazed lawsuits advancing the president’s claims (3/5)

"before the Supreme Court. (The Supreme Court threw out the lawsuit.) Trump went places they never thought he would, and they followed right along. Some did so out of fear; others did so out of vaulting ambition. Some did so reluctantly; others did so enthusiastically. (4/5)

"But they never broke with him." (5/5) https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/some-republicans-have-found-line-they-wont-cross/617543/