FBI's McCabe Fired 2 Days Before Retirement

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced decision Friday
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 16, 2018 9:33 PM CDT
FBI's McCabe Fired 2 Days Before Retirement
In this June 7, 2017 file photo, acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe appears before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he has fired former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a longtime and frequent target of President Trump's anger, just two days before McCabe's scheduled retirement date. The move, which had been expected, was made on the recommendation of FBI disciplinary officials. It comes ahead of an inspector general report's expected to conclude that McCabe was not forthcoming with the watchdog office as it reviewed the bureau's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, reports the AP. Though McCabe had spent 21 years as a career FBI official, Trump repeatedly condemned him over the last year as emblematic of an FBI leadership he contends is biased against his administration.

McCabe had left his post but was to formally retire Sunday, at which point he would have received his full pension. NBC News explains McCabe turns 50 on Sunday, making him "eligible for certain substantial retirement benefits" that are now in "jeopardy." The New York Times has a statement provided by McCabe's lawyers which reads in part, "I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey." Sessions, for his part, said "the FBI expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity and accountability," and as such, he terminated McCabe's employment.

(More Andrew McCabe stories.)

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