Justice Department prosecutors are recommending former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, a frequent target of criticism by Donald Trump, be indicted.
On Thursday, attorneys for McCabe were told that his appeal against criminal charges had been rejected by the Justice Department.
At issue is whether McCabe lied to investigators over information leaked to a reporter from the Wall Street Journal back in 2016 on Hillary Clinton. A federal grand jury has been investigating McCabe.
But there could be something else at play here. From ABC News:
“McCabe, who served as the acting FBI director immediately following the firing of James Comey, has said he personally authorized the counterintelligence and criminal investigation of President Trump in May 2017 over fears he would too be removed.“
If he is indicted by a grand jury, ABC News writes : “…[I]t would be the first instance of the Justice Department bringing criminal charges against a senior law enforcement official involved in the origins of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.”
Trump and other conservatives have long claimed the investigation was “corrupt” and a “witch-hunt.”
From USA Today:
“McCabe filed a lawsuit in August challenging his dismissal, alleging that Justice Department officials demoted him in January 2018 and fired two months later to cater to Trump’s “unlawful whims.” McCabe’s abrupt termination came after he had already announced his intention to resign and days before his full retirement benefits would have set in.“
