When you're using the Signal app, you can set your chats to automatically disappear after a few days.
The Donald Trump administration is hoping that a scandal over top officials' use of Signal to discuss impending military plans will similarly disappear, as so many other controversies already have.
It's up to Democrats and responsible Republicans in Congress to make sure that doesn't happen.
This is no ordinary offense. The conduct here raises questions about the handling of America's secrets, the safety of our troops and the accuracy of our public records.
And the Trump administration has already shown that it can't be trusted to police this matter itself, while a Republican call for the Defense Department's inspector general to investigate is insufficient. Only Congress can do this job.
This is a preview of Symone D. Sanders-Townsend's latest article. Read the full column here. For more thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez and Symone Sanders-Townsend, watch "The Weekend" every Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. ET on MSNBC.
