This is a nice analysis, Mouton; but, may I quibble a bit with your pessimism?
These sleazy characters are going to be racing to the head of the line to make a deal with the prosecutor once indictments start flying.
It’s in their nature. Having no real principles or loyalty, most will try and save themselves.
My optimism went sky-high when I watched the entirety of the Sessions, Wray and Rosenstein hearings. These are men on a mission. Right now, their mission requires secrecy, as in any major investigation.
I think at this moment we may be in a deliberate “Holding pattern” with respect to the IG report, for the purpose of getting the Tax Bill passed. After that is done, we’re going to see history unfold.
You may be correct, I tend to be a pessimist. I’d be more of an optimist if the DOJ IG had been appointed by Trump and not Obama though.
IMO, this is going to take a full court press by partisan, yes partisan, committees of Congress. Furthermore, I’d be happier if they drew help from investigators not from the FBI or GAO. The investigative community has some excellent investigators packed away in some of the IG offices and in the other departments like the military and the IRS.
I’m not too sure about a bunch of indictments. If
this whole process goes the way we all think it
should then at some point prominent Democrat
politician types will be heard saying, “This has gone
on too long. We need to stop all of this back and
forth and call a truce!”. Whereby some prominent
Republicans will be heard saying, “That’s right! Let’s
let bygones be bygones and we can all have some
ice cream!”.