The silence is telling.   Silence from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan in the wake of FBI raids on the office of President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller and federal prosecutors in New York had to demonstrate to a judge that they have very strong indications of possible crimes in order to do what they did.

Not conclusive testimony and evidence–not yet, anyway–but serious, extremely serious indications.

This gives new urgency to the questions “Has the President and/or anyone close to him been involved in crimes?” and “If not, how soon can it be determined that they have not–that they are innocent?”

So far, the only substantial investigations are being conducted by the Executive Branch–the President’s branch–of government.  The Legislative is supposed to be a check and balance on Presidential power.

So in the present situation, where is it, that check and balance?  Nowhere. Supposed investigations have been deliberately stunted, distorted and–for partisan intents and purposes–silenced.

McConnell and Ryan have bowed and scraped to Mr. Trump.  In effect, they have turned their party over to him and declined to do their duty for the country.  In doing so they aren’t really doing him any favors if he is innocent. If–if–he is not they are part of a cover-up.

The country needs vigorous investigations in the House and Senate – honest investigations and investigations of integrity into what the hell is going on, what has been going on.

What we have instead is…silence.

McConnell and Ryan are letting themselves down, besmirching their reputations and legacies.

They are letting down their party, the party of Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan.

And most importantly, they are letting down our country.

History will likely not look kindly on this cowardice. But their judgment day may come much sooner – at the polls in November.

News, analysis and commentary by Dan Rather.