Protesters gather at White House as multiple official sources call Russiagate treason

On the 11th of July, protesters showed up outside the White House as the swirling "Russiagate" scandal took a new turn. Donald Trump Jr released emails showing he "welcomed" Russian interference in the 2016 election on behalf of his father. He released them only because newspapers were about to. Both former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman and Sen Tim Kaine called Trump Jr's meeting with Russian officials "treason."

Update July 12: Reps Brad Sherman and Al Green file articles of impeachment against Trump

As the Russiagate scandal grows, these protests at the White House and at Trump Hotel events are likely to grow, and to pull in participants from far outside the usual communities that one would expect to see protesting at the White House. A recent Washington Post survey claims 1 in 3 DC residents has already protested Trump at least once-with upscale whites the most likely protesters. These are exactly the kind of people Russiagate is pulling into the streets, thus it may once again become advisable for motorists to avoid Trump Hotel, the area around the White House, and anything in between as it was in November 2016.

Russiagate is nowhere near the worst thing about Donald Trump, given his gutter racism and inclusion of overt white nationalists in his cabinet. On the other hand, of all the many Trump crimes, Russiagate is the most impeachable, the most indictable, and the most likely to put Trump and some of his family members behind bars. Trump Jr used the term "opposition reseach" for his solicitation of hacking and data thefts to give his father an advantage in the 2016 election. Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman and Sen Tim Kaine disagree, calling it nothing less than treason.

One wag pointed out on Twitter that Trump Jr could literally face the death penalty for treason-except that he is rich and white. Others have spoken of lesser charges but rich man's justice may again prevail. Likely charges include computer crimes charges over the attacks on election computers, charges for violation of a Federal law concerning "collusion" with foreign governments, charges under a Federal fraud law making it a crime to "deprive another of the intangible right of honest services," and for conspiracy to commit any of these that Donald Trump Jr didn't do with his own hands. The meeting between Donald Trump Jr and Russian officials itself has been called enough for "collusion" or even treason charges by some.

The publicity and frankly the legal risk could force Donald Trump Jr's father to resign from office. That would almost certainly make prosecutors lose interest in the case and would be nearly guaranteed to silence mainstream press coverage of it.

Donald Trump Junior has broken a lot more than a few windows on L St, and burned a lot more than a limo on K st. Donald Trump Junior effectively put a brick through the entire 2016 election and burned the ballots of millions whose votes were made worthless by foreign intelligence agency interference. He was also careless with electronics-and now the emails showing his guilt have been released to the world. WTOP Radio reported someone calling the emails "a smoking cannon." Donald Trump Jr should not walk while Inauguration protesters are threatened with decades in prison or while anyone is actually serving time for opposing Trump's Inauguration. After all, Donald Trump could not have been inaugurated at all on Jan 20 without the Russian interference his son solicited.

Politifact lists some of the laws Trump and Trump Jr could face charges under

A Harvard Law professor calls the Trumo Jr emails "smoking gun"

Video from the protest-and of Tim Kaine calling case "potentially treason"