I'm gonna go with the @LincolnsBible assessment of Barr: he was once "important" in the 1990s, MAGA target audience, and saw his chance to get "back in the game."

Only this time, he found out he was working for the straight-up Kremlin, freaked out, and now he's trapped.

I think a lot of the currently megaf**ked cartoon villains we see had no intention of becoming handmaidens to destroying America from the inside.

They wanted that next gig, next client, next election. Impress Dad. Pay off debt. They're a little corrupt.

This time was different.

As @JohnBrennan testified a while ago, some walk intentionally down the path of treason, some walk a long time until they realize they're on it.

It's the problem with moral slouch in a world of very experienced manipulators with global intentions: you could end up a traitor.

You just want to get into Congress. Hide your infidelity. Get a nicer car. Scratch "an itch." Make "powerful" friends.

You don't realize, however, you might be watched for *years* (mainly by spies from a couple countries, tops) to figure out how to guide, recruit...or *own.*

And once you're on that video "partying," once you take that money, once those donors get you into Congress a little dirty, you don't know what price you paid.

Until those people get desperate. *Their* bosses get panicked - because the U.S. is shutting down offshore banking.

The U.S. caught them at billions in economic espionage. NATO caught them at something...bad...and there will be hell to pay.

And that's when you get "activated" as an asset. On that day, you get reminded where the money came from. And maybe how it was made.

And you freak out.

So, in a long narrative arc, one day you cut ethical corners to get a job or a client or to get out of a crime...

...next thing you know, you're saying you don't mind Russia attacking democracy.

It's not a direct or quick line. But there it is. And what a place to end up...