Russia probe: An avalanche of news and opinion with first charges

Paul Manafort leaves Federal District Court in Washington. Photo / AP

THE STORY IN SUMMARY

A former campaign adviser to US President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, special counsel Robert Mueller said, while former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Manafort's business partner pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.

The guilty plea by former adviser George Papadopoulos marked the first criminal case that cites interactions between Trump campaign associates and Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The developments ushered Mueller's sprawling investigation into a new phase with charges and possible prison sentences for key members of the Trump team including Manafort, who led the campaign during critical months, and Rick Gates, a campaign aide.

Analysts have been try to make sense of what it means while news keeps dripping out and commentators give their opinions.

Court papers also revealed that Papadopoulos was told about the Russians possessing "dirt" on Democrat Hillary Clinton in the form of "thousands of emails" on April 26, 2016, well before it became public that the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's emails had been hacked.

Papadopoulos has been cooperating with investigators, according to court papers, a potentially ominous sign for others in the Trump orbit who might be implicated by his statements.

Papadopoulos' lawyers hinted strongly in a statement that their client has more testimony to provide.

- AP

ANALYSIS AND OPINION

Bob Mueller's Bombshell: https://t.co/rMXqxW5BOM

— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg) October 30, 2017

What does today mean for Mueller’s investigation? Eleven legal experts discuss where the probe could be headed: https://t.co/Vg2qzW75xK pic.twitter.com/eibDqfJh7d

— POLITICO (@politico) October 30, 2017

.@NickKristof: If Manafort pursues his self-interest, my bet is that he’ll sing https://t.co/fNmrl88anU

— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) October 30, 2017

You bet there's collusion, Mr. President: Why Trump should be nervous after Mueller's indictments https://t.co/3Kki0JbtWm via @MaxBoot pic.twitter.com/NnCrf0vwmy

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) October 30, 2017

What’s next for the Mueller investigation? https://t.co/CorGY5shIj

— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) October 30, 2017

What the painstaking detail of the Manafort-Gates indictment reveals: https://t.co/O4EcEKigH6 pic.twitter.com/f8ghFY640I

— Slate (@Slate) October 30, 2017

Today’s indictment is terrible news for Attorney General Jeff Sessions https://t.co/0lscfEIAsK by @emptywheel

— The Intercept (@theintercept) October 30, 2017

NEWS AND BACKGROUND

NEW @CNN: Facebook says 126 million people may have been exposed to Russian-Internet Research Agency content:: https://t.co/jFTAudCrYr

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 30, 2017

"Any spin coming from the White House should be discounted," a former Trump aide just told me. "This is very, very bad."

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 30, 2017

Many top figures on the Trump campaign had no idea who Papadopoulos was. https://t.co/kZgRHpaRLo pic.twitter.com/i3hTbfq292

— Axios (@axios) October 30, 2017

Pressed to respond to special counsel indictments, Speaker Ryan says, "I'm not going to speculate on something I haven't read." pic.twitter.com/Xf7rVXWgLD

— ABC News (@ABC) October 30, 2017

CNN's @jimsciutto breaks down the timeline of Trump campaign's communications with Russia https://t.co/XIdqmndKQn https://t.co/K30lpkEtIa

— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) October 30, 2017

.@yaffaesque, @NewYorker's man in Moscow, writes abt how Manafort & dirty world of Ukrainian politics are sympatico. https://t.co/gto5hOd2ff

— Michael Luo (@michaelluo) October 30, 2017

Paul Manafort’s attorney calls charges 'ridiculous' – video https://t.co/FOme86FKyd

— The Guardian (@guardian) October 30, 2017

NEW: How important was George Papadopoulos on Donald Trump's foreign-policy team? A closer look. https://t.co/gcxSWVUxgd pic.twitter.com/CIvwk7qOgx

— PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) October 30, 2017

It's the FBI's fault Trump wasn't warned about Paul Manafort, Corey Lewandowski says https://t.co/XXy13RIJhE pic.twitter.com/2Z0zJ4XZas

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 30, 2017

Rick Gates, indicted with Manafort, was "in and out of WH" in early days of Trump presidency, says WH advisor https://t.co/rUZGNtQNYz

— Michael Isikoff (@Isikoff) October 30, 2017

Tony Podesta steps down from his own Democratic-leaning lobbying firm amid Mueller investigation: https://t.co/AyM0CVjOgD pic.twitter.com/CR6xoZIoQb

— Paste Magazine (@PasteMagazine) October 30, 2017

Mystery professor in Mueller case had contacts with Russian officials https://t.co/eZz0DPeOdb pic.twitter.com/Yo24TsAaTo

— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) October 30, 2017

SHORT TAKES

Mueller’s choreographed one-two punch today sends a signal to every Trump official: cooperate & get a good deal or resist & get hammered.

— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) October 30, 2017

Mueller may have pitched his message today to specific targets he knows and we don't. Other points, not all obvious, apply more broadly.

— Barton Gellman (@bartongellman) October 30, 2017

A competent campaign would have said at the 1st whiff of this: "Cut all contact. Now, get me our lawyers and have them get me the FBI."

— Dan Murphy (@bungdan) October 30, 2017

Am not an American lawyer, but this seems significant. https://t.co/dGljn0ImfE

— david allen green (@davidallengreen) October 30, 2017

If Meuller as somehow got an order putting aside lawyer-client privilege, on the fraud exemption, then this is hard-core investigation.

— david allen green (@davidallengreen) October 30, 2017

“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” Reinhold Niebuhr

— James Comey (@Comey) October 30, 2017

“By the end of this special counsel investigation, our viewers will all have honorary legal degrees” —@NicolleDWallace on @MSNBC

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 30, 2017