Dems Find Political Silver Lining in Russia Collusion Dud

Welcome to Pay Dirtexclusive reporting and research from The Daily Beasts Lachlan Markay on corruption, campaign finance, and influence-peddling in the nations capital. For Beast Inside members only.

Democrats hoping for a silver bullet against President Trump in Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian-election meddling were sorely disappointed when Attorney General Bill Barr reported no conclusive and prosecutable evidence that the Trump campaign had conspired with Kremlin agents during the 2016 campaign.

But prominent Democrats have nevertheless found a way to make lemonade out of this lemon. As they publicly call for the release of Muellers full investigative report, theyre using that rallying cry to beef up their email and social-media lists through sham polls and petitions pegged to the special counsels findings and the need to release them publicly.