Exactly correct. They wanted to spy on Trump, but needed a paper trail to justify their illegal activity to make it appear legal. So they concocted this set-up scheme for Misfud to feed Papadopoulos some bogus information, and then sent Downer to try to solicit that bogus information from Papadopoulos and report it back to the FBI. Voila, instant paper trail justification for a ‘counter-intel investigation’ which, btw, has much lesser requirements than criminal investigations - no warrants needed etc. Just a rubber stamp approval every 30 days... approval by the people who concocted the entire scheme in the first place!
I am shocked, amazed and dismayed by the left’s acquiescence to all this. This is abuse of power at the highest levels by the most powerful agencies - agencies that ordinarily the left would distrust... who hide evidence, make deals with the Bulger crew, spied and tried to blackmail Dr. Martin Luther King, who engineered the Bay of Pigs and the Vietnam war. Suddenly however they are the heroes of the left? Gobsmacked!
I have gradually come to the realization that Leftists ultimately believe in nothing but gaining and holding power for themselves and their party. They have no enduring principles other than that.
They were spying, and needed a court warrant to provide them immunity from prosecution for their illegal activities. FISC opinions note tens of thousands of illegal inquiries/snoops. This illegal activity has not abated even today.