The indictments of Paul Manafort and Richard Gates that were brought and sealed on Friday and announced on Monday, including for conspiracy against the United States, begin a defining period of investigation and action that will ultimately decide the fate of the Trump presidency.

The announcement of the plea bargain of former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, for lying to the FBI in the Russia probe, brings evidence of Russian interference in the election further into the foreign policy team of the Trump campaign.

ADVERTISEMENT

Other associates of the Trump campaign may have also reached plea bargain deals that are not yet public.

The charges brought are sweeping, dramatic and involve potentially substantial prison time if the accused are found guilty. Future charges against Manafort, Gates and others close to Trump are possible and indeed likely as the investigations unfold.

There will now be huge pressure on Manafort and Gates to plea-bargain and seek lesser punishment in return for giving the government evidence involving other suspects in the case of Russian attacks against America.

Nothing in the blockbuster indictments of Manafort or Gates, or any other individuals who may be indicted, proves the innocence or guilt of those who are charged. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. There are no exceptions to this rule. Our political opinions are not relevant to innocence or guilt under the law.

Next, attention will soon turn to other high-level individuals close to Trump and his campaign, especially former national security adviser Michael Flynn and close Trump confidant and son-in-law Jared Kushner, though again this does not suggest innocence or guilt about them or anyone else.

---

RELATED STORIES FROM THE HILL

---

After the big move of Robert Mueller and the special counsel office to bring blockbuster indictments against Manafort and Gates, here are the key points going forward:

First, above all, the indictments begin a red-hot phase of the investigation that will continue to escalate until the investigation is over, charges are filed and verdicts are rendered to clear or convict all who are charged.

Second, everyone associated with Team Trump, including President Trump and some GOP allies in Congress, should stop attacking Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden goes on offense MORE as a diversionary tactic that is doomed to fail as real charges are brought against real defendants, offered by real prosecutors taking real evidence to real juries who will render real verdicts of innocence or guilt.

Third, President Trump should unequivocally announce he will issue no pre-emptive pardons for anyone who is or may be charged and that he will take no action to remove Mueller from his leadership of the special counsel office.

Fourth, the smartest legal and political move for Trump would be to state unequivocally that he now agrees with what our intelligence and law enforcement communities have forcefully stated, that Russia continues to engage in a concerted attack against American democracy.

It provides no benefit and significant danger to Trump to suggest the Russian crimes against American democracy did not happen, when they did.

As the investigations of Russian attacks against American democracy reach radioactive intensity after the blockbuster indictments announced today, Trump and Republicans in Congress should not only agree, but demand that congressional investigations should be thorough, honest and aggressive in getting to the truth of the matters involving Russia that are under investigation by the special counsel.

Robert Mueller is a good man, a Marine, a patriot, a brilliant lawyer who seeks the truth and a widely admired former FBI director who knows a lot about Russian attacks against America. He may ultimately clear the president.

Trump’s widely respected attorney, Ty Cobb, has praised Mueller’s integrity and promised full cooperation with his investigation. This is wise advice that the president and his supporters should follow.

Brent Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the U.S. House of Representatives. He holds an LLM in international financial law from the London School of Economics.