Astute post, Travis.
I have been pondering the same thing. They have got to be thinking “what stuff of mine is out there?”
“What is my exit strategy?”
“Who can I trust?”
They have no internal integrity, they have relied on the ability to control the information flow up to now.
That control has been compromised, and they do not have a backup.
The “big calls” going out today are by principals who all want to be John Dean, calling their favorite “friendly” reporters, and crying into the phone, confessing all, hoping for favorable treatment.