'People are going to the slammer': Former Bush ethics lawyer predicts Mueller's Gates revelations are 'only the beginning'
(first segment or about 12 min)
Painter, former ethics lawyer for George W. Bush, called any claims that there was "no collusion" between President Donald Trump's campaign and the Russians fugazi.
"Well, we know there was collusion," Painter said. "The president has denied it, but we have the meeting in Trump Tower with Russian agents. We have Mr. [George] Papadopoulos who had his Russian handler, the professor they called him, over in London. Now we have [Rick] Gates and his Russian agent contact."
Painter noted, the small list is only the beginning.
"The critical question for Robert Mueller at the end of the day is whether there was illegal collusion," Painter continued. "Whether it was criminal. Whether it violated campaign finance laws or whether there was collusion before or after the fact with respect to computer hacking or other crimes. A lot of people are lying about their contacts with the Russians and that's criminal. We'll have people going to the slammer and the question is who and how high up it will reach. But the notion of 'No collusion' is ridiculous. Well it is collusion and we know it by now."