Is it really too much to ask for a president and Senate Majority Leader to simply do the right thing by the country and reopen the government without fueling more political conflict?

Robert Mueller has the unenviable task of needing to sustain as much credibility for a bunch of serial liars as possible, starting with Michael Cohen. Buzzfeed's story -- whether generally true or erroneous on details about Trump Organization witnesses or totally wrong -- threatened that effort. 

And that's why, I strongly suspect, Peter Carr finally publicly spoke. 

Why is the GOP Senate, at the direction of Mitch McConnell (and possibly Trump), aiding and abetting the obstruction of justice at scale?

I've long argued that the kompromat Putin has over Trump is proof of Trump's willingness to enter into a conspiracy with Russia. Michael Cohen's plea deal makes clear that Putin pocketed his first receipt on Trump even before the first votes were cast.

Buzzfeed has a story that provides concrete details to what we already knew of Michael Cohen's negotiations for a Trump Tower in Moscow. But its hyping of Trump's lies may be counterproductive.