>>That has been pretty well established and most Americans recognize it by now.<<
Wishful thinking my friend. Most Americans get their knowledge about what’s going on in the world from the alphabet news channels and fishwraps like the NYT and WAPO.
If you’ve ever worked around liberals you know that many of them are not exactly fans of law enforcement. They too harbor fears about unbridled power and penchant for pushing the constraints they are supposed to work under.
Know any college professors who are big fans of the police? How about newspapers who champion the powers, tactics and tools of law enforcement?
The point is when agencies violate the public’s trust, and in this case engage in partisan driven machinations, many Americans get uneasy with them.