Carl Bernstein said yesterday on CNN that Special Counsel Robert Mueller may be wanting "to send a signal to other prospective defendants," by filing his first charges yesterday in the Russia investigation.

"If this person who has been indicted, or persons, are facing 20 to 40 to 50 years for whatever these crimes are - related to collusion or not - there may be others who are subject to similar charges who have further knowledge about dealings with Russia...There are a lot of intentions that the special council is trying to convey here, I suspect."

Why it matters: The charges filed by Mueller yesterday could result in anyone charged being taken into custody by Monday.