The investigation into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia is probably going to disappoint a lot of people, and by people I mean partisan Democrats. That’s the thrust of a report at Buzzfeed based on conversations with half-a-dozen people involved in the investigation, both Republicans and Democrats:

Even some Democrats on the Intelligence Committee now quietly admit, after several briefings and preliminary inquiries, they don’t expect to find evidence of active, informed collusion between the Trump campaign and known Russian intelligence operatives, though investigators have only just begun reviewing raw intelligence. Among the Intelligence Committee’s rank and file, there’s a tangible frustration over what one official called “wildly inflated” expectations surrounding the panel’s fledgling investigation.

Now, several committee sources grudgingly say, it feels as if the Senate doesn’t find a silver bullet connecting Trump and Russian intelligence operatives, the investigation will be seen as a sham.

“I don’t think the conclusions are going to meet people’s expectations,” a second official said.

Gee, I wonder who has been wildly inflating those expectations of this investigation? Who is it that has been on television day after day after day, talking about collusion, treason and impeachment? That’s a tough one. Might it be the Democrats?

The Buzzfeed story goes on to say that “nearly all” of the people they spoke to think it’s unlikely any silver bullet will be found. One official said even if some contacts between Russia and the campaign were identified, they wouldn’t be “referred.” Meaning it’s unlikely anyone did anything that would put them at risk of prosecution.

All of this matches what House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes told reporters last month, i.e. accusations of collusion were looked into but in the end “there’s nothing there.” That is not going to go over well with the progressive base that has been worked into a frenzy with every new story of some Republican in Trump’s orbit meeting with the Russian ambassador.

Democrats have only themselves to blame if this blows up in their faces.