Robert Mueller just destroyed Donald Trump’s presidency by indicting the Russians for rigging the election
What’s the most damaging thing that Special Counsel Robert Mueller could do to Donald Trump? Indict him? Charge him? That may yet be coming. But instead in a surprise move, we saw Mueller do something even more damaging to Trump today. Mueller has announced (through Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein) that he’s indicted thirteen Russian nationals and three Russian entities for having rigged the election in Trump’s favor. In so doing, Mueller just announced to the world that Trump’s presidency is illegitimate.
According to Rosenstein’s press conference just now, the Russians traveled to the United States, organized political rallies aimed at altering the outcome of the election, and used a massive phony online presence as well. Based on the charges, the Russians not only tried to steer the general election in favor of Trump and against Hillary Clinton, they also tried to steer the Republican primary race toward Trump and away from Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
Rosenstein has said that these charges do not specifically allege that Russians actually changed the outcome of the election. It’s understandable why Rosenstein and Mueller wouldn’t want to go there, at least with regard to these charges. These criminal indictments are about the crimes committed; proving them guilty doesn’t involve proving that their efforts succeeded. And today’s indictments are entirely against the Russians, not against any of Trump’s people. But none of that matters.
The Deputy Attorney General of the United States just publicly announced that a grand jury has indicted the Russians for a massive scheme to rig the primary and general election in Donald Trump’s favor. As of today, the average American now has no doubt whatsoever that Trump is an illegitimate president and a Russian puppet. He’s now fully crippled. His approval rating will drop lower. Every remaining minute of Trump’s time in office will be about this and nothing else. Even as Robert Mueller moves forward with various inevitable criminal charges against Trump and his people, today was nothing short of a bodyblow.
