Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s assertion that “there is no allegation in the indictment that the charged conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election”

Right. As I noted in point 8, it’s impossible to determine if any information operations altered the outcome of the 2016 election. That being said, it’s worth noting that Rosenstein specified “in the indictment.” There will be future indictments, and they will allege other things, possibly against Americans. But they won’t claim foreign info ops changed the election outcome, because there’s no way to know.

Why do we need a special counsel to investigate and prosecute the offenses alleged in any of Mueller’s indictments?

Because the United States was attacked, because the case is big enough that it makes sense for an office to focus on it exclusively, and because, like the Watergate and Whitewater investigations, it involves political actors, which makes it appropriate for an independent counsel.

Why not convene a nonpartisan commission of experts to investigate Russian ‘meddling’ in the election?

Because laws were broken, and a commission does not have the power to prosecute crimes. Besides, a career law enforcement officer with an impeccable record, who was nominated by a Republican president and confirmed unanimously by the Senate, then renominated by a Democratic president, then appointed by the Trump Justice Department and accepted by Democrats, is about as close to the ideal of a nonpartisan expert as you can get.

Why do highly partisan Congressional committees continue to investigate these issues?

Because intelligence oversight is a function of Congress. However, while I also think it’s unfortunate that the House intelligence committee has become so partisan, I disagree that the Senate intelligence committee has. Burr and Warner have conducted themselves with integrity.

Legs? Seriously..?

Yes. An investigation that has already resulted in a campaign manager and his deputy under indictment, a former National Security Adviser and a campaign foreign policy adviser confessing to felonies, and 16 foreign nationals/entities under indictment very obviously has legs. An investigation that didn’t have legs would fold without any serious indictments, and especially without confessions.

More disturbing is your inference that the independence of the special counsel could be subverted for political purposes. Perhaps I have misinterpreted your closing comment?

Yes, you misinterpreted it. My point is that Americans voters will consider any evidence that emerges from the special counsel investigation in upcoming elections.