Russia Russia Russia was a three birds one stone for the Criminal Clique:

1/ Smear Trump 2/ Divert Russia-Clinton-Biden collusions 3/ Much More Importantly (true goal): Destroy Trump's Foreign Policy re: Russia

This last one helped in:

• [short term] keeping the energy (oil & gas) war against Russia - with the European market as the turf - alive and well on the short term, and thus NATO afloat (despite Trump's goal as stated in his 2015-2016 campaign, ie Dissolve NATO)
• [long term] Keep eyeing on a future CIA's color Revolution (see Belaruss as the last attempt nearby) bestowing on Russia as soon as Putin's supposed exit (too bad: Putin in the meantime just amended the Russia Constitution, bwahaha!) : see, demonizing the Russians to the Average Joe is the best way to counter Trump's goal of Sovereign Nations Partnerships, in order to implement a plain and simple conquest of Russia's precious resources by the Big MIC.