...in a nutshell!
“...so as to MAKE THE INVESTIGATION AGAINST THEM APPEAR TO BE RETALIATORY!”
No doubt the ‘rats will try attempt to make that case, but since their crimes preceded the impeachment inquiry I don’t see how it could stick.
Precisely - all planned and coordinated with the media, even though this investigation has been openly reported and acknowledged by Trump, Barr, and others for many months on end now and widely reported on Fox News, The Hill, NYP, and elsewhere. Yet, the MSM is now starting to report that they have heard from “sources” Barr has started an investigation apparently to allege wrongdoing in the lead-up to the Mueller probe. As an example, Bernstein was on CNN the other day stating he has “sources” that are telling him Barr is conducting an investigation as though this was a deep dark secret just uncovered and the investigation itself is a major scandal - not what they are investigating, and that it is something unknown going on under the surface when it was openly discussed through testimony by Barr himself to the Senate Judiciary Committee, in multiple media interviews, discussed by President Trump himself numerous times openly, and widely reported as noted above. They lie without batting an eye.