With Roger Stone's arraignment looming, Ali Velshi tackled the key question we're all asking: Why do they lie?

I know, it seems obvious, but look how many of Donald Trump's closest associates have been charged or convicted with lying: Paul Manafort, Michaesl Cohen, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulis, and Rick Gates, just to name a few. And now, of course, also Roger Stone. All lying to Congress, Robert Mueller, the FBI, or some combination thereof.

Right-wingers seeking to tamp down the scandal write the pleas off as "process crimes," as if somehow lying to the FBI or Robert Mueller or Congress is not a big deal, nothing to see here, just ignore it altogether, right?

But why? Why do they lie? Velshi offers three possibilities, as articulated in a Washington Post article:

Did the president’s men lie to protect a still-hidden dark secret about the campaign’s interaction with Russia, engaging in a broad effort to obstruct the probe — one that included perhaps even Trump?

Did they lie to avoid diminishing Trump’s victory by acknowledging Russia played a role in his election?

Did they each lie for their own reasons, taking their cue from the president — who has told many whoppers of his own, including about Russia?

I'm opting for the first one. I think they're all lying to cover up what they knew and when they knew it. I think that Trump plays dumb -- see Chris Christie laughing in his face when he thought firing Flynn would put an end to everything, for example -- but is shrewd when it comes to his dealings with Russia. There are too many other pointers, too much evidence for Trump's participation in a dark and evil plot to win election by any means available, including the intervention of Russian actors.

David Corn lays out a convincing case here for collusion -- or what I prefer to call conspiracy. All anyone has to do, he points out, is to follow Manafort through his involvement with the campaign. Also, Rick Gates.

The president’s shouts of “no collusion” cannot be accurately applied to the man he picked to chair his campaign. Manafort was in cahoots with a fellow alleged to have ties with Russian intelligence, and through this person Manafort was apparently communicating with a Putin ally about a policy issue crucial for the Kremlin, as Putin was underhandedly assisting the Trump campaign.

Why are they all lying? Because they're all part of the larger conspiracy. If it isn't clear by now that Republicans steal that which they cannot win by legitimate means, it sure ought to be after this.

Watch Ali Velshi discuss this with Whitewater attorney Kim Wehle above, via MSNBC.