Opinion: A test for Comey, McCain and the G.O.P.

View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Thursday, February 16, 2017 [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( For everyone alarmed by Donald Trump’s rise, James Comey and Senator John McCain — two Republicans who hate being seen as partisans — were deeply disappointing figures in 2016. The details of both stories are familiar by now. Comey is the F.B.I. director who made [the dubious decision]( to focus national attention on Hillary Clinton’s email server just 11 days before the election. McCain is the once-maverick senator who, despite being personally maligned by Trump, rallied to his side in the campaign. And both Comey and McCain have emerged as central players in the emerging Russia scandal. [In an Op-Ed]( the journalist Tim Weiner calls them the two people who have “the power and the will” to compel testimony from Michael Flynn, Trump’s deposed adviser, over his Russian contacts and Trump’s. Comey is in this role because an F.B.I. investigation of Flynn helped cause his downfall and the investigation has reason to continue. McCain is in the role because he is “a Cold Warrior who dislikes the idea of cozying up to the Kremlin and is preparing for hearings on Moscow’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election,” Weiner writes. Comey and McCain obviously aren’t the only people with the power to investigate the extent of the collaboration between Russia and Team Trump. Other Republicans, including Senate leaders and committee chairmen, have that power, as well. Like Comey and McCain, they now face another character test. A foreign country, and not a friendly one, appears to have accumulated undue influence at the highest levels of American government. Because Republicans control both houses of Congress, [only they really have the power]( to address the situation, which is as alarming as any political situation in a long time. Will they be willing to do so? For more, [Charles Blow]( [Nick Kristof]( and [the Editorial Board]( all write about Russia today. The full Opinion report from The Times follows, including [Melissa Blake]( on Trump’s disrespect for the disabled and [Eric Posner]( on the problems with the immigration ruling that went against Trump. David Leonhardt Op-Ed Columnist Editorial [Time for Congress to Investigate Mr. Trump’s Ties to Russia]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD The possibility that Russia has infiltrated the highest levels of our government is a national security threat that Congress must investigate. Op-Ed Columnist [Drip, Drip, Drip]( By CHARLES M. BLOW What we know about Russia only makes what we don’t know more ominous. Op-Ed Columnist [Well, Trump Watchers, Things Could Be Worse]( By GAIL COLLINS On the plus side, we’re not in Pyongyang. Op-Ed Columnist [What Did Trump Know, and When Did He Know It?]( By NICHOLAS KRISTOF Dots involving Russia are begging to be connected. Op-Ed Contributor [On the Road to Another Watergate?]( By TIM WEINER Michael Flynn has resigned. Now expect the investigations to begin. ADVERTISEMENT Op-Ed Contributor [Judges v. Trump: Be Careful What You Wish For]( By ERIC POSNER Can the courts face down President Trump without undermining their own standing? Editorial [Inching Toward a One-State Solution?]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD President Trump’s statements on possible solutions to the Mideast crisis do not inspire confidence. Editorial [Congress Says, Let the Mentally Ill Buy Guns]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD The Republican House and Senate did the gun lobby’s bidding in passing a regressive measure that President Trump is expected to sign. Sung Hyun Kim/ArtCenter [On Campus]( [Advice for My Conservative Students]( By AARON HANLON Don’t repeat my mistake of comparing disagreement with your ideas to suppression. Contributing Op-Ed Writer [The Democrats’ Immigration Problem]( By THOMAS B. EDSALL Material and psychological conflicts between the party’s core constituencies make this a tricky issue for candidates and voters alike. Contributing Op-Ed Writer [Who Will Watch the Agents Watching Our Borders?]( By LINDA GREENHOUSE The gloves appear to be off when it comes to the government’s pursuit of undocumented immigrants. Op-Ed Contributor [Fighting College Sexual Assault in the Trump Era]( By JESSICA LUTHER In recent years, schools have had to answer hard questions about how they handle sexual violence. Is that about to end? Disability [Disabled, Shunned and Silenced in Trump’s America]( By MELISSA BLAKE The removal of the White House web page on disabilities sent a chilling message to me and others like me. Op-Ed Contributor [Exit the Dragon: Why China Should Stop Supporting Venezuela]( By DANIEL LANSBERG-RODRÍGUEZ Chinese loans are the main lifeline of President Maduro’s government, but it is time for Beijing to let a corrupt regime go. Contributing Op-Ed Writer [Swearing, Italian Style]( By BEPPE SEVERGNINI Our language was once an elegant, gentle one. So why are we all cursing like sailors? ADVERTISEMENT Letters [Beyond Michael Flynn: Calls for an Inquiry]( Readers discuss Michael Flynn’s short tenure and urge an investigation into contacts with Russian officials. FOLLOW OPINION [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@nytopinion]( [Pinterest] [Pinterest]( Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »](  | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps for just $0.99. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Opinion Today newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2017 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018