I'm getting a sinking feeling in my gut about these indictments

[William769]

Rod Rosenstein said and I am paraphrasing here the Americans involved with the Russians did not know they were Russians.

If anyone can put that down better, please do.

[C_U_L8R]

1. There will be more indictments

Think chess. Brilliantly executed 4-dimensional chess.

[unblock]

11. *if* there are more indictments, then we may be able to look back on this and see its brilliance.

or it may turn out like fitzmas. i'm hoping we get more than just a libby this time.

[Zoonart]

16. Yaaaaaas , please proceed Mr. pResident.

These indictments "fish" the White House into doubling down on their "innocent dupes "
Defense. Do you really think that defense will stand against what Flynn. Manafort, and the newly flipped Gates have told Mueller?

[underthematrix]

2. You shouldn't paraphrase because that's not what he said

[William769]

6. Well then please enlighten me.

That's what I heard on CNN.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Rosenstein was referring only to THIS indictment.

It covered only one aspect of the conspiracy, which related to the use by these 13 Russians of social media and grass-roots activities. It did not address the email hack of the DNC, or the actions of Trump campaign officials. There will be more indictments, count on it.

[chowder66]

7. This! nt

[William769]

9. Thank you.

I did not think it through to think about what you just said.

[global1]

23. If I Understand This Right These 13 Russians Set Up Shop Here....

posing as legitimate Americans (assumed identities and all that). The companies they set up looked legitimate and they hired other job seeking Americans to work for their companies and those people didn't have a clue they were actually working for Russians. They thought they were fulfilling a legitimate job function or service.

I believe these Americans are the ones Rosenstein was referring to.

[lagomorph777]

40. I don't think any of them were physically here.

[global1]

41. Didn't Rosenstein Say That They Posed As Americans....

taking assumed names and ID's and they set up these companies here to make it look like they were American companies. I also thought I heard him say they hired people to work in these companies. I guess I'm going to have to read the 37 page indictment to verify.

[lagomorph777]

42. None of those things impies they were physically here.

[uponit7771]

24. +1, and too the point of the indictment it does mention TRUMP ASSOCIATES did work with Russians

[guillaumeb]

28. Recommended.

Focus on the entire package, not simply the wrapping.

[brush]

4. More shoes will drop. I suspect Cambridge Analytica worked with Russkies. Wait for more indictments.

[chowder66]

5. This will make you feel better

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210240982

[William769]

13. Thank you.

[chowder66]

19. You're welcome. MSNBC posted on twitter

'the' indictment instead of 'this' indictment. I just replied to correct it. It's an important distinction!

[William769]

20. Yes it is.

[LuckyCharms]

8. My staircase has 14 steps.

Think of today as the 4th step.

[John Fante]

10. In this indictment.

If a Trump supporter tries to conflate that to mean no Americans knowingly conspired with the Russians at any point, refer them to the Papadopoulos guilty plea.

[The empressof all]

12. He specifically qualified that statement

He repeatedly said "These" indictments which does not exclude future indictments. At no time did he infer that there won't be future indictments...in fact I felt he went out of his way to send the message that this is not over yet. But maybe that is just my hopeful interpretation.

[William769]

15. Thank you.

[hlthe2b]

14. RIGHT NOW "unwitting".... I think Seth may be right on this:

Link to tweet

[William769]

17. Thanks

I should have read more before posting.

This is my knee jerk reaction for the month.

[Bleacher Creature]

29. We all have panicky knee jerk reactions.

There's too much at stake, and if the Mueller investigation fizzles we may be past the point of being able to fix things.

Welcome back to DU, and sorry to hear about your year from hell.

[William769]

34. Thank you and thank you.

[Blaukraut]

18. Trump campaign officials met with Russians knowingly.

There was no pretending to be American going on there, so wait for that shoe to still drop. This is only one side of the coin.

[former9thward]

21. He said no Americans knowingly participated in the operation.

He also said the election was not affected by the operation. But many will still say this is a great victory and Mueller is playing 11th dimensional chess.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. No identified Americans knowingly participated in the actions described

in the indictment. It doesn't mean no Americans knowingly participated in any part of the Russian efforts to affect the election.

[former9thward]

38. I am aware of that.

I also have been very skeptical about the final results of the Mueller investigation. Certainly skeptical of the predictions I have read over and over again which will happen any day now.

[smirkymonkey]

43. I think in a way that was said to lure them into a state of comfort and complacency.

They probably think they are off the hook on the collusion angle, but I don't think that is what Mueller is going to nail them with.

[Lee-Lee]

22. Tip of the iceberg

This serves to put pressure and fear on others who will see they need to play ball to save their own skins.

[Vinca]

26. He kind of hedged in the way he said it. I don't remember the exact words, but I got the

impression they were trying not to alarm Dear Leader because they're still digging in the dirt around him. Let Don think he's in the clear and he's more apt not to start firing people.

[Gabi Hayes]

27. The word of the day: unwitting. How many times did you hear the bobble heads repeat that?

That will be the first line of their next defensive offensive

Just watch

Where else do they have to go, other than dredging up some other faux depredations by Hillary?

[Iliyah]

30. Mueller made a hell of the chess move.

I don't see t-rump trying to fire Rosenstein nor Mueller anytime soon.

I believe Nunes and crew are quite unhinged as well as the WH, including t-rump himself.

[Turbineguy]

31. This is a small side show of the meddling / collusion.

All the Americans involved in this corner of the operation were useful idiots.

[SummerSnow]

32. Rosenstein said ....

Russians talked to " unwitting" Trump associates,and said no allegation in indictment Americans knew about meddling

[grantcart]

33. Like Chris Matthews I am getting a thrill up my leg lol

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210241320

[greatauntoftriplets]

35. If this was it, they wouldn't be discussing a plea deal with Rick Gates.

Gates has to have lots of good stuff and is tuning up to sing.

[former9thward]

39. The plea deal is for money laudering that happened long before the campaign.

Manafort might have to worry about Gates but no one else.

[LenaBaby61]

36. The way I took it William769 ....

Is that "AS OF NOW," we don't know of any Americans involved. I'll be a dollar to a dozen of doughnuts they have their eyes on some American involved with Fatso-in-chief, or on Fatso himself.

My gut feeling is that there's MORE than a big, fat, floppy shoe leading us to that big, fat, floppy treasonous pig installed into the White House by the ruskies and treasonous buddies of his.

I bet Fatso's breaking televisions, throwing food, knocking stuff off of his empty desk and cursing out people etc. all over that White House today with what's been dropped in his big, fat lap TODAY

Melania's nowhere near his fat ass

[Blue_Tires]

37. This is just the first step...

[pnwmom]

44. No! Mueller did exactly the right thing. Now the R's have to address this issue and they can't

call it a "partisan witch hunt."

PLUS, this indictment hasn't cleared the Trump campaign. Not at all. It just set them aside, for the purposes of this indictment -- which focuses solely on the Russians. And I'm glad because Congress can't ignore this any longer.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210242241

[Vinca]

45. After scanning the indictment, it appears the Americans he was referring to are people at the local

level who were contacted by bogus groups about having rallies, etc. I don't think any of the "big fish" were in their scope of operation. I imagine whoever is directing them is who might have been in contact with the inner circle.