THREAD: I keep thinking about this CNN report from last night that Mueller's referred cases about Tony Podesta, Vin Weber, and maybe others, to SDNY. I think this is one of the biggest developments on Mueller's probe we've seen recently. Here's why: cnn.com/2018/07/31/pol…
1) This move evidently took place perhaps as early as April—or earlier—which means we're still MONTHS behind in our public understanding where Mueller is in his work. He's not leaking, and we're glimpsing the totality of his investigation only through soda straws....
2) The fact Mueller turned this investigation over to SDNY prosecutors, like he did with the Cohen investigation, means he's continuing to be judicious about only staying focused on the Russia end of his probe....
3) Exactly as we would expect him, after looking at past efforts like his Ray Rice domestic violence probe, he's laser-focused on the question of the Russian conspiracy. Other crimes he finds? He hands those off....
4) He's not on a broad "Witch Hunt." That's significant because it means that the cases/threads that Mueller *IS* holding onto aren't tangential. I outlined recently the 9 areas where Mueller is still probing: .... wired.com/story/what-rob…
5) So if Mueller is still investigating what we think he is—including George Nader, Erik Prince, the Seychelles, Cambridge Analytica, and more—that means they're *DIRECTLY RELATED* to the underlying Russia probe. wired.com/story/what-rob…
6) That means there's a LOT more to go in this investigation—and that in ways we can't see right now, but that Mueller surely knows, these pieces actually all fit together. This probe is big. And it's far from over.... wired.com/story/what-rob…
7) By telling us what Mueller's NOT investigation, CNN's report on Podesta/Weber actually gives an important window into what he is investigating. And the consequences of that are really eye-opening. Look at how much more there is to go: /END wired.com/story/what-rob…
