Corruption is a process, as well as a set of practices. It involves gradual changes in ethical and behavioral norms that make actions that were once considered illegal or immoral seem acceptable—whether election fraud, lying to the public, treasonous conduct, or sexual assault. The discarding of accountability as an ideal of governance makes keeping the fundamental pact of “personalist rule”—staying silent about the leader’s incompetence and illegal actions—a lot easier. And politicians like Lindsey Graham need only contemplate the fate of their former peer, Jeff Sessions, to know what happens if they break ranks.
Co-opt & Corrupt: How Trump Bent and Broke the GOP
