For over three months, Donald Trump and his minions have been damaging — and trying to destroy — the most valuable elements of contemporary America. Until I read Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s article in The New Yorker, “How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump,” I thought Trumpers were the only villains. Sadly, that article shows that those closest to Joe Biden were nearly as dishonest and misleading as the Trumpers.

A year before the election of ’24, Biden’s inner circle knew Joe was incapable of fully being president. But they chose to keep silent about his shortcomings and claim he was fine. But what for? To get an unqualified man re-elected? To preserve their own positions or influence? To avoid offending Biden or his office? To make money? Can you think of one public good to justify their deceit?

I can’t.

Then today we learn that the Navy’s former second-in-command, four-star Admiral Robert P. Burke, has been convicted of bribery and committing acts affecting his personal financial interest while concealing material facts. And, for assisting him, the co-CEOs of technology firm Next Jump have been charged with involvement in the admiral’s crime to steer a multi-million-dollar contract to Next Jump in return for a $500,000 job.

If this admiral, Next Jump’s CEOs, Joe’s followers, and Trumps’ sycophants could attain the highest positions in our country, where does truthfulness, righteousness, and responsibility reside? Are these “leaders” merely reflections of our own failings, examples of the only path to power, or something I can’t imagine? They have traded integrity and duty for lies and selfishness. How can Americans expect better from those with less influence and fewer options? What a sad moment.

John Freidin

Middlebury