The mongrel offspring of The Golden Rationalization and the Bible-based dodges a bit farther down the list, the “They’re Just as Bad” Excuse is both a rationalization and a distraction. As a rationalization, it posits the absurd argument that because there is other wrongdoing by others that is similar, as bad or worse than the unethical conduct under examination, the wrongdoer’s conduct shouldn’t be criticized or noticed. As a distraction, the excuse is a pathetic attempt to focus a critic’s attention elsewhere, by shouting, “Never mind me! Why aren’t you going after those guys?”

The rationalization is also frequently misapplied to one who legitimately calls out a double standard, as when the same prosecutor or state authority brings charges against one individual when similar or equivalent conduct by others has not been prosecuted in the past. In those instances, calling attention to the inconsistency is not a rationalization attempting to  minimize the wrongdoing in question, but to question the integrity, motives. seeming arbitrariness or fairness of the change in attitude regarding appropriate consequences. If the response to that accusation is, “We were wrong then, but now we recognize this is how this conduct should be handled,” that is ethical, if it is meant in good faith.

Often, too often, it is not.

What Khanna did initially was irresponsible, incompetent and unfair, recklessly accusing innocent men of sex crimes. The Congressional immunity from defamation makes sense, except in such an extreme case, which I’m certain no one thought could ever happen when that policy was adopted. After all, surely American voters would never elect to high office someone that stupid and careless! And yet here we are. Just days from a U.S. Attorney General and her House inquisitors behaved like bickering 10th graders before the world, Rep. Khanna says “Hold my beer!” and hits a new low.

Then he tops, or rather burrows under, that new low. This creep doesn’t have the integrity or decency to apologize to the men he smeared and express remorse for such a cruel and harmful act.

When a public figure ( or a journalist, or academic) indulges in such blatant demonstrations of an ethical void, the only rational response is to strike him or her off the Respectable Human Beings List permanently. This is signature significance; indeed in Ro’s disgusting case, it is double signature significance. No one who is worth paying attention to or taking seriously does either of those things—publicly accusing people of sex crimes without being 100% certain their information is correct, or blaming others for the gaffe—even once.

And anyone who ever voted for Khanna should wear a paper bag over their head. I don’t think he’s a lock to win 2026 Asshole of the Year, but that’s not a defense.