If the past few weeks in American public life have taught us anything, it’s this: accountability is a universal need, not a partisan accessory. Whether you’re a tech titan, a big-city mayor, a former FBI director, or a Republican getting a little too comfortable in your seat, the same basic truth applies: character matters. And when mistakes happen, people notice… especially when the cleanup only begins after someone else finds the mess.

Let’s start with Larry Summers, who suddenly rediscovered his conscience right around the moment his emails with Jeffrey Epstein hit daylight. Funny how “deep shame” tends to arrive only after the archive leaks. For a man of influence and intellect, continuing any relationship with Epstein after 2008 showed the kind of judgment you’d expect from someone sticking a fork in a toaster “just to see.”

As Proverbs reminds us, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches…” (Proverbs 22:1). Summers had the riches. Now he’s learning the hard way about the name.

Meanwhile in New York, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani made a surprising but refreshingly adult choice: he’s keeping Commissioner Jessica Tisch on at the NYPD. For a politician who once flirted with “defund” rhetoric, this signals that governing is more complicated than tweeting. Good policing requires stability, competence, and a steady hand.

Does this mean there will be tension? Absolutely. Mamdani and Tisch might disagree on tools, databases, and philosophies. But retaining a proven leader is a step toward order, not chaos. And order is a blessing (Romans 13).

Then there’s James Comey’s prosecution. Whether he made misstatements is one thing; whether the process itself is fair is another. When a politically connected prosecutor with no prior federal trial experience leads a shaky grand jury effort, the optics alone damage public trust.

I believe in law and order, but also in doing things the right way. Justice that’s sloppy, selective, or politically motivated isn’t justice. As Scripture says, “He that ruleth over men must be just…” (2 Samuel 23:3). That applies whether you’re investigating Comey or your local city clerk.

All this brings us back to the Republican Party, where sometimes the hardest accountability is the internal kind. When Rep. Nancy Mace calls out a fellow Republican, it may not be popular, but it’s necessary. Nobody likes correcting a teammate; it’s like rebuking someone during Bible study who keeps hijacking prayer time to talk about their fantasy football league. Awkward, but important.

If conservatives want to stand for integrity, we can’t overlook misconduct just because it’s “one of ours.” Accountability is not betrayal; it’s refinement. But it must be fair, evidence-based, and rooted in principle, not ambition.

Across all these stories — Summers’ too-late remorse, Mamdani’s pragmatic policing decision, the messy Comey prosecution, and the GOP’s internal self-check — the real issue is the same:

Will our leaders choose integrity even when it’s inconvenient? Or only when it becomes unavoidable?

Conservatism at its best calls for moral courage, not tribal loyalty. It insists that justice be impartial, public servants be accountable, and institutions serve the people honestly. Most of the time that means calling out the left. Sometimes it means calling out the right. And sometimes — brace yourself — it even means applauding a Democrat who makes a wise choice for public safety.

If we want a healthier nation, a stronger movement, and a culture rooted in truth, we must demand consistency:

One standard. For everyone. All the time.

That’s the kind of conservatism worth defending.