It doesn't matter if they were baited. They have done nothing but fish from the very first minute of his candidacy. Hundreds of anonymous sources were believed tacitly one after the other. Events were warped and elements fabricated on the regular for things that were actually recorded, and those recordings eventually shown. Nothing has dissuaded them from employing blind-fire tactics. Because no person will ever suffer for doing it. They will be a hero if, even being wrong, one of their fishing attempts reveals even the tiniest, slight, previously unknown spec of dirt.

They don't care that they are wrong. They believe in the axiom that they themselves exist under. Everyone is dirty. All that has ever been required to nuke ANY politician is a thorough dig (including under false pretext). Yet, after arraying their entire machine for going on 8 full years now, they have yet to uncover any actual thing that has stuck or had even the hint of believability to it.

Getting a full FBI raid on Trump's vacation property while he wasn't there was well worth any pretext. Because he definitely had something to be found. Coming up dry, they'll curse their luck and run it up the pole again, and soon. They don't care. Embarrassment does not stick.

The best part of this is that we know for sure beyond all doubt that Trump is the cleanest saint to ever exist in Washington. It is beyond comprehension that he has ever done anything bad, at this point. No one can avoid the Eye of Sauron, and yet somehow, it just can't see his dirty laundry? The inevitable conclusion is that there isn't any to be found in any aspect of his life. There has never been a more vetted man in the history of the world.

That fact will never be recognized widely though. Hate porn is too easy to fap to.