It’s part of a startling pattern of retribution waged on federal government employees, following the forced ousters of a group of senior FBI executives earlier this week as well as a mass firing by the justice department of prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smith’s team who investigated Trump.

Startling? Really? Trump has said he was going to go after those who “targeted” him. The only thing startling is how rapidly and, distressingly, effective the attack has been. He’s been planning this retribution for years.