Here’s how we know the big names in the Trump-Russia scandal are going to prison

| 6:04 pm EDT March 23, 2018
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Thus far this week Palmer Report has predicted, based on new developments, that Jeff Sessions, Steve Bannon and Roger Stone are all likely headed for prison. We recognize that this can be viewed as something of a bold prediction, and it’s led some readers to ask how we can be confident that names this big might actually be headed for a cell. Our reasoning is fairly straightforward.

There are only two ways you can end up serving a prison sentence. One is if a judge and jury send you there. The other is if you send yourself there by agreeing to a plea deal that includes prison time. The latter is precisely what Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, and George Papadopoulos have done. All three have already agreed to serve time, and based on the relative severity of their crimes, only Papadopoulos has any chance of seeing that prison time waived. Gates will do a few years in prison. Flynn will likely do the same.

The above names have begun to fade from the daily political headlines, so it’s worth a reminder of just how crucial their roles were in the Trump-Russia scandal. Flynn was Donald Trump’s White House National Security Adviser. Gates was Trump’s Deputy Campaign Chairman. Papadopoulos was Trump’s foreign policy adviser. These guys looked at the evidence against them, decided they didn’t like their chances, and agreed to be locked up. They also agreed to help Special Counsel Robert Mueller take down even bigger names in this scandal. It’s why Paul Manafort, the highest ranking person in Trump’s campaign, seems overwhelmingly likely to be found guilty on charges which could result in a three hundred year prison sentence.

So when it comes to the likes of Jeff Sessions, Steve Bannon, and Roger Stone, based merely on the evidence that’s already publicly available, all three seem likely to end up taking plea deals. If they don’t, their fate will be decided by a judge and jury. But the bottom line is this: if you’re having trouble seeing how these three big names could end up in prison, consider the other three big names in this scandal that have already agreed to go to prison without even bothering to take their chances at trial. Based on what’s played out so far, the more apt question is who if anyone involved in this scandal won’t end up in prison.