On January 6, 2021, Coos County Commissioner Rod Taylor stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, not as a defender of democracy, but as a participant in an attempted coup. A self-described devout Christian, Taylor prays regularly and professes to seek God’s guidance in his decisions. And yet, his most fervent devotion appears to be to Donald Trump—a man who embodies none of the values Taylor claims to cherish.
Taylor still insists, against all evidence, that Trump won the 2020 election. Even today, he clings to this belief with a near-religious intensity. Why? Because admitting the truth would require confronting a devastating reality:
- That he was deceived by the very man he worships.
- That his participation in January 6 was not patriotic but treasonous.
- That his loyalty to Trump has overridden his loyalty to God and country.
That is an unbearable truth to face. And so, instead of confronting it, Taylor does what all cult-like followers do—he doubles down.
The Power of Authoritarian Permission
Blind loyalty is a defining feature of authoritarian movements. But what keeps people like Rod Taylor so committed even in the face of overwhelming contradictions? The answer lies in a concept John Dean called “authoritarian permission”—the idea that a leader’s word is enough to justify any action, no matter how immoral or illegal.
During the Watergate scandal, G. Gordon Liddy rationalized his illegal acts not because he believed in them, but because Richard Nixon told him to do it. In his mind, Nixon’s authority absolved him of any guilt. He was merely an instrument of the leader’s will.
Taylor operates under the same logic. If Trump declares the election was stolen, then Taylor has permission to ignore the courts, the evidence, and the Constitution. If Trump claims January 6 was justified, then Taylor doesn’t have to grapple with the fact that he aligned himself with violent insurrectionists.
This is the ultimate appeal of authoritarianism—it removes the burden of moral responsibility. It replaces personal conscience with blind obedience.
It also explains why Taylor’s religious devotion does not conflict with his loyalty to Trump. For him, Trump’s authority and God’s will have become indistinguishable. If Trump gives him permission to reject reality, to act unjustly, to support corruption—then it must be righteous.
History’s Warning: When Loyalty Becomes a Moral Escape Hatch
This phenomenon is not new. History is filled with examples of people surrendering their conscience in exchange for permission to do harm:
- Nazi officers who claimed they were “just following orders.”
- Confederate soldiers who, after losing the Civil War, created the “Lost Cause” myth to justify their treason.
- White supremacists during Jim Crow who saw racial violence as sanctioned by both law and God.
- Religious extremists who justify terrorism because a leader tells them it is righteous.
In each case, followers were not just complicit in wrongdoing—they were granted permission to ignore their own moral compass. Taylor’s unwavering devotion to Trump follows this exact pattern.
The Breaking Point: Choosing Conscience Over Loyalty
Not everyone stays trapped in this cycle. Some—like John Dean—break free. Dean was once Nixon’s loyal counsel, but when faced with undeniable corruption, he made a choice:
- He could remain loyal and go down in disgrace, or
- He could tell the truth and take responsibility.
He chose the latter, at great personal cost. More recently, Danielle Sassoon, a top DOJ official, resigned rather than carry out an illegal order from Trump’s administration. She refused to let loyalty override her conscience.
Taylor, by contrast, has shown no such courage. He remains locked in the false comfort of authoritarian permission, unwilling to take responsibility for his own role in an attempted coup.
Will Taylor Ever Choose Truth?
The question now is whether Rod Taylor will ever regain his moral compass. His faith tells him that truth matters, that personal responsibility is sacred. And yet, his loyalty to Trump overrides all of it.
History tells us that those who refuse to confront their own moral failings rarely change course. They rationalize, they double down, and they drag others down with them. But it also tells us that there is always another path—the one John Dean and Danielle Sassoon took.
Rod Taylor still has that choice. The question is, does he have the courage to take it?
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