While he worked for Nixon, I haven’t a clue about his political affiliation. Or a John Dean moment. There was a time when public servants, even partisans, might act in the nations interest. Rather than political or self interest. Cyrus Vance wasn’t a favorite of mine, but I respect his resignation as Carter’s SOS. I’d like to think those people exist on the right. I’ve no confidence they exist in todays Democrat party. It’s all about power, and only power. I hope to be proven wrong, only takes a single Butterfield, or Dean, or Vance to do that. But I’m not holding my breath. A sad state we’re in.
Dean and Butterfield don’t fall into the same category for a host of reasons. Butterfield, a former AF colonel & F16 pilot, acted in an administrative capacity and as part of which function he tracked and maintained the taping system. He was as loyal as any Nixon aide but would not lie under oath. Dean was an opportunist, a “counsellor” who knew about the cover-up long before he decided to proffer info to Ervin/Dash et al. Butterfield a patriot, Dean a rat. Vance was as close to an old-time (honorable) democrat as just about anyone in DC at the time. His breed, sadly, is gone.