When and why did Republicans start seeing Russia as allies?

Agreed.

And simultaneously he was somehow immune enough that admitting all that was received by the public as good news, not the death of his political career.

They’re wouldn’t be any point in accepting Russian assistance if it didn’t work. If it didn’t, there wouldn’t be any need to make it illegal.

Committing crimes does produce results. So society catches criminals and punishes them to make the risks of committing crimes outweigh the benefits.

Our current political problems arise because the Republican party has decided to put loyalty to the party as a higher priority than upholding the law. Republicans have made a collective decision to allow their fellow Republicans to break laws without consequences.

At least without immediate consequences. I think the Republicans are ignoring the greater danger they face. People will stop respecting the rule of law as they continuously see laws being broken. Republicans need the protection of the law and every time they blatantly defy the law, they chip away at that protection.

Because one of their loudest media voices is being featured in Russia? Carlson says he knows nothing about it, but I’m skeptical.