From the investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia to the tax system overhaul to the #MeToo movement, this year had its share of news. To help us make sense of it all, we turned to opinion columnists to sort through the good, the bad and the ugly. Here's a roundup of our top five Commentary columns of the year. 

1. How Robert Mueller Tried To Entrap Me

Harvey Silverglate recounts his interactions with Robert Mueller, before Mueller was appointed special prosecutor to lead the investigation into suspected ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. In this piece, Silverglate questions whether Mueller is really the "choirboy that he's being touted to be."

2. Quote All The Scripture You Want, Roy Moore — That Doesn't Make You Innocent

Callie Crossley addresses Roy Moore, speaking as "one Southern-raised Christian to another." Crossley asserts that Moore "has hijacked Christianity, weaponizing Jesus' words to accrue personal power." And, she writes, that many of the faithful are outraged that he would use Bible verses to absolve himself from any wrongdoing.

3. A Major New Study Shows That Political Polarization Is Mainly A Right-Wing Phenomenon

Dan Kennedy explains the results of a study published by the Columbia Journalism Review that shows that political polarization is more common among conservatives than liberals.The study examined more than a million articles between April 1, 2015 and election day in 2016, and found that Hillary Clinton supporters shared stories from a broader political spectrum than Donald Trump supporters.

4. Al Franken, Democrats, And The 'Moral Obligation To Win'

Wendy Kaminer says that the Democrats' show of moral superiority in calling for Al Franken's resignation will cost them and the women they aim to protect. When "going low is a winning strategy," Kaminer argues, the Democrats' insistence on taking the high road has led them to lose power. And, she questions, what happens when a Democrat from a red state with a Republican governor is alleged to have harassed women? "Democrats will suffer an embarrassing fall from the moral high ground if they decline to push for his summary resignation, because it would guarantee the appointment of a Republican replacement by a Republican governor," she writes.  

5. Mass. State House 'Harassment': A Case Study

David Bernstein talks about the importance of employees feeling comfortable reporting mistreatment, not only when it comes to sexual harassment, but for all types of harassment. In the Massachusetts State House, Bernstein contends, there is a perception that "many people are protected and untouchable," and employees do not always feel free to speak up.