A profile on Representative Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan, has amplified an ethical crisis with dark implications and not just for the lawmaker—who is often caught between traditional Republicanism and its extremist elements—but also and more importantly, for the people of the United States. Published in The Atlantic, the piece painted in intimate detail the tightrope that Meijer has found himself walking since he was first elected and started his term a mere three days before the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Unlike many members in the GOP, when it got down to it on Jan. 6, Meijer voted to certify the election results for its victor Joe Biden. And a week later, when a vote to impeach then-President Donald Trump for inciting the insurrection was on the floor, Meijer was one of just 10 Republicans to cast their ballot against Trump. He was, as The Atlantic noted, the only freshman congressman in American history to vote to impeach a president of his own party. Meijer’s decision to impeach initiated him involuntarily into a club with high stakes. That club is comprised of a proportionately small number of members who have, on occasion, spoken out against the former president and then found themselves subjected to internal pressure, harassment, and threats from those who swear fealty to the cult of Donald Trump.   Read more