Perhaps Americans’ best hope of retreating from the precipice of totalitarianism now rests with independent voters and sober Democrats.

In normal times, of course, one cannot rely on milquetoast centrists for much of anything that requires genuine conviction. But after Thursday’s guilty verdict in former President Donald Trump’s Soviet-style “hush money” trial in New York, some moderates may have finally awakened to the fact that their rule-of-law republic has degenerated into a lawless empire.

Case in point: The National Association of Broadcasters has rescinded an award it intended to give to actor Robert De Niro following the Hollywood veteran’s unhinged anti-Trump rant on Tuesday outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump was on trial, according to The Hill.

“This event is proudly bipartisan, uniting those from across the political spectrum to celebrate the impactful work of local broadcasters and our partners,” an NAB representative said in a statement to the outlet.

“While we strongly support the right of every American to exercise free speech and participate in civic engagement, it is clear that Mr. De Niro’s recent high-profile activities will create a distraction from the philanthropic work that we were hoping to recognize,” the representative said. “To maintain the focus on service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event.”

So the NAB wanted to avoid a “distraction.” Fair enough.

Perhaps it was too much to hope for a stronger statement, something like, “Mr. De Niro’s complicity in the banana republic-style persecution of the regime’s political enemy renders him unfit for this award.”

After all, at an event Tuesday in Washington, the organization of local radio and television broadcasters had intended to honor De Niro with the NAB Leadership Foundation’s Service to America Award.

In fact, the actor’s appearance outside the courthouse during Trump’s trial served only the establishment and President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign. It had nothing to do with serving America.

“If he gets in, I can tell you right now, he will never leave! He will never leave! You know that. He will never leave,” De Niro said, projecting onto Trump the actor’s own authoritarian inclinations.

“What does that mean? Is that the country we want to live in? Do we want him running this country and saying, ‘I’m not leaving, I’m dictator for life?'” De Niro continued.

“I hope this new ad campaign reaches outside the bubble to remind supporters of what a danger he is to our lives. This is not a threat. This is a reality,” he added.

The surreal scene included Trump supporters shouting back at De Niro and a well-timed car alarm interrupting the actor’s rant.

Indeed, for someone who fell asleep in 2016 and awakened in 2024, the entire spectacle would have defied belief. A president held a campaign event outside a courthouse where his operatives worked to imprison his rival.

Happily, legal experts such as George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley expect an appeal court to reverse the verdict.

Meanwhile, irate voters expressed their displeasure through massive campaign contributions. In fact, shortly after the verdict, the Trump campaign’s WinRed donations page crashed due to heavy traffic.

When the site returned, it featured a photo of Trump accompanied by the words, “Political Prisoner.”

Thus, the NAB and other “non-partisan” organizations might begin with tepid objections to a generic “distraction.” But, in light of Thursday’s verdict, surely their awakening cannot end there. And if it continues, the tyrannical Biden administration and its Hollywood minions will have nowhere to turn.

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Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.

Michael Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in History and has taught at multiple colleges and universities. He has published one book and numerous essays on Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Early U.S. Republic. He loves dogs, baseball, and freedom. After meandering spiritually through most of early adulthood, he has rediscovered his faith in midlife and is eager to continue learning about it from the great Christian thinkers.