It has always been about protecting Hillary and her buddies. The only way to do this was the smokescreen of "Russian collusion". Anybody who remotely has something on the Clintons and their ties to Russia are suddenly investigated by Mueller. This is to shut them up.
Maybe, but do the Podestas have any connection to Manafort?
I agree with your take on that.
I too have believed this for quite some time. As for the peripheral players, I hadn’t expected to see them get pardons to cover their deeds.
Of course granting them immunity now, will protect them from being forced to talk about Hillary’s misdeeds too, at least I think. It may be a single case immunity.