THE TIGHTENING NOOSE:

First, the filing discloses that the government has evidence of Stone's direct communications with Russian intelligence and WikiLeaks. This revelation goes much further than the Stone indictment itself and establishes a direct link between Russia and Stone, a Trump campaign adviser.

Referring to these communications as "evidence" suggests that the special counsel considers the communications probative and relevant to proving Stone's guilt. Whatever these communications are, we can reasonably conclude that they are incriminating.

Second, the filing indicates that search warrants were used to obtain these communications. Search warrants can be used to obtain email and social media accounts, including the content of every email or Twitter direct message a user has ever sent or received. These communications would help Mueller determine whether Stone was ever in direct contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, as Stone claimed in August 2016.

In addition, a search warrant can be used to obtain emails from internet service providers doing business in the United States, even if the account user is overseas. If, for example, a Russian hacker were using a Gmail account, a search warrant to Google could provide every email ever sent or received on that account. And if the special counsel has obtained Stone's email communications, it seems likely that he has also obtained the email communications of others, such as Donald Trump Jr., who has admitted to sending email messages to set up a meeting with Russians to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton in June 2016.

Third, the phrase "to discuss the timing and promotion of their release" emphasizes that Mueller considers the conspiracy with which he has charged the Russian intelligence officers to include not just hacking and stealing emails, but also disseminating them. The GRU indictment provides a framework for adding as co-conspirators anyone else who conspired to promote the release of the stolen emails at a time that would be most beneficial to Trump's campaign.

In fact, one batch of emails was released about an hour after news broke about the "Access Hollywood" tape in which Trump was heard disparaging women. If someone from the campaign suggested to WikiLeaks that stolen emails be released that day, that person could potentially be charged as a co-conspirator in the GRU case.

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