The motto of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity.” Since its founding, the bureau has been repeatedly tested on each of these lofty ideals and, I’d say, has come closer to them more often than not. During last night’s Democratic presidential debate, however, its honor was besmirched.

How so? When Bernie Sanders spouted that everyone was tired about hearing about Hillary Clinton’s email problems and the audience rose to its feet. Clinton shook Sanders’s hand out of thanks and, presumably, relief. This came after moderator Anderson Cooper asked Clinton to consider that the concern over her email was not simply partisan, as it’s the subject of an FBI investigation. Amidst the cackles, laughter, hand-shaking and thunderous ovations after Sanders’s pronouncement, the point was lost. Clinton also defiantly stated that she was “still standing” after all that has come to light. This boast could also be translated as, “Hey, I haven’t been arrested yet,” a depressing standard for a candidate for the highest office in the land.

Not addressed at the debate — but in the several weeks prior by a number of legally astute commentators such as Rudy Giuliani and Andrew McCarthy — are the number of secrecy laws that may have been violated by the Democrat’s leading candidate. And as the days go by without charges being brought against Clinton, the FBI’s reputation for “Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity” becomes less an impressive collection of words that share the bureau’s initials, and more of a potential source of mockery and ridicule. Of course, there are those more cynical than I who will posit that the fix is already in and that Clinton will never be charged. They may well be right. Despite her recent poor showings in the polls against virtually all of the Republican candidates, there is still a potential future where Clinton becomes president. Anything can, and sometimes does, happen in politics.