Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin wrote an op-ed condemning the American political right for transforming the country into a "failed democracy."
Rubin railed against commentators warning that Attorney General Merrick Garland indicting former President Trump for alleged charges could irreparably divide the country.
"Nervous pundits warn that for the good of the country, the Justice Department ought not to indict Donald Trump, since prosecuting a former president is the sort of thing ‘banana republics’ do. That’s wrong on two grounds," Rubin wrote.
She said that it isn't within Garland's responsibility to determine what is in the best interests of the country's "long-term democratic interest" or that prosecuting Trump will not lead to the country becoming a banana republic.
AG GARLAND REFUSES TO RULE OUT PROSECUTING TRUMP FOR JAN. 6
![Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/03/1200/675/Rubin-3.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Washington Post columnist and defending "Liberal Hack Tournament" champion Jennifer Rubin. ((Photo by: William B. Plowman/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images))
"I have some unfortunate news for the nervous Nellies: Our country is already on its way to becoming a failed democracy. The question is now what we intend to do about it," Rubin warned.
She went on to predict that the United States could end up like a country in South America or Eastern Europe that is ruled by "thugs."
![Former President Trump](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/06/1200/675/Donald-Trump-Thumbs-Up.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Former President Trump stressed the importance of restoring law and order in America in his first speech in Washington D.C. since leaving office. (Getty Images)
"If Americans don’t want our presidents to resemble the thugs of South American or Eastern Europe and don’t want violence to become a standard political weapon, they should demand that Garland keep his word," she wrote.
During an interview with NBC's Lester Holt last week, Garland said the Justice Department hasn't ruled out prosecuting former President Trump in relation to the January 6 Capitol riot.
"We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding Jan. 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that's what we do," he said. "I think that this is an important part that we not downgrade or suppress how important that day was, and I think that the hearings did an extremely good job of reminding us and for people who didn't know in the first place, telling us how important that day was."
WAPO OPINION WRITERS RANK WHO WINS DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION ‘IF BIDEN DOESN’T RUN'
![President Joe Biden sunglasses](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/04/1200/675/Joe-Biden.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
The Biden administration announced this week that a Disinformation Governance Board has been created to combat online disinformation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
"This is not the call to ‘lock him up.’ This is the call of a citizenry demanding that the Justice Department follow the legal process to hold responsible anyone involved in arguably the worst crime against democracy in our history," Rubin continued.
She claimed that "democracy is unraveling" because of Trump's actions and behavior, which according to her, have undermined the sanctity of elections.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
She then condemned the Republican Party as a whole.
"They should understand that the Republican Party, filled with small individuals hiding behind phony claims of privilege to avoid testifying, has become the bullying apparatus that dictators have historically used to amplify their lies and cloak their actions in legitimacy," she wrote.