Mueller's Investigation Takes a Worrying Turn

On October 18, I noted in comments of that day's We Resist thread that there appeared to be "an emergent strategy to concede that Russia was indeed involved in influencing the election but that it was the Clinton campaign who colluded with them."

In addition to a story that day at the Hill, which asserted there had been an Obama-era quid pro quo between the Russians and the Clinton Foundation before the Uranium One deal, I observed there had been a dozen different tendrils building that (ridiculous) case: Grassley grilling Sessions that day about the Clinton Foundation and payment Bill Clinton received from Russia for a speech; the Senate Judiciary launching a probe into the so-called Russian nuclear bribery case; a Guardian piece which was clearly a plant (the Russian news oulet RBC "broke" the story) to lay the groundwork for the narrative to become that its actually leftists who colluded with Russia; circulating rumors that Assange was going to prove Hillary Clinton had colluded with Russia.

"This," I wrote, "is their next big play. To hang Russia around Hillary's neck."

Today, there is a third story at the Hill, which has been hitting this angle hard: "FBI watched, then acted as Russian spy moved closer to Hillary Clinton." The entire report amounts to nothing more than Russia tried to ingratiate itself with Clinton. But the objective is to cast doubt. On Clinton and Obama.

Essentially, the narrative being constructed is that some nefarious dealings with the Russians started while Hillary Clinton was at State, and President Obama knew. That they've accused Trump of collusion, but they are the real traitors, and they need to be put on trial and jailed. ("Lock her up!")

I know that sounds fucking crazy, believe me I know, but this is how repressive authoritarian has taken hold in other places: Show trials of political adversaries. It's not just that it could happen here; it's fucking happening. The groundwork is being laid.

Which brings me to today's extremely troubling leak from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's heretofore tight operation: Mueller Now Investigating Democratic Lobbyist Tony Podesta.

The probe of Podesta and his Democratic-leaning lobbying firm grew out of Mueller's inquiry into the finances of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to the sources. As special counsel, Mueller has been tasked with investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

...Tony Podesta is the chairman of the Podesta Group and the brother of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign chairman. John Podesta is not currently affiliated with the Podesta Group and is not part of Mueller's investigation.

But John Podesta having been Hillary Clinton's campaign chair is the only reason this is of great enough interest to be leaked.

I'm now no longer merely worried that Mueller will settle for Manafort to protect Donald Trump. I'm worried that this investigation may have been compromised to a much more significant extent.

And Senate Republicans have already indicated their complicity in furthering this agenda.

I can't overstate this: If this is headed where I think it's headed, this is the most dangerous thing that Trump has done so far. What I'm seeing looks like the nascent stages of a plan to silence and punish dissidents.

We are all in real fucking trouble.