I've asked this question around here dozens of times, and I still haven't gotten a straight answer from anybody. What was in those emails that was worthy of even a news story, let alone a race-shifting scandal?

It was a press-manufactured scandal (triggered, apparently, by intentional Russian espionage). The press had what they thought was exciting news, they drew clicks (and claimed their usual false-equivalence "balance") with "Some are saying..." headlines with no underlying story.

There was nothing of substance in those emails. They were just fodder for mindless wishful speculation.