Some of these clowns can be impeached and barred from office, at least in theory, Congress has that power. There is no criminal penalty there, and the remedy may feel unsatisfactory, but at least the government would have shown a smidgen of shunning bad actors.
If you don’t lock them up they will be working for CNN or taking a chancellor job with state universities. Just sitting in the bullpen waiting to be called up by the next seditious cabal.