Tag: Andrew McCabe

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Andrew McCabe: Trump Disputed US Intelligence Reports “I Don’t Care – I Believe Putin”

Former FBI director Andrew McCabe on CBS’ 60 Minutes

Speaking to 60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley, former FBI director Andrew McCabe shared an episode from a security briefing with Donald Trump in which the president told intelligence heads he didn’t believe their reports on North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.

When the intel chiefs explained their sourcing and report, Trump reportedly fired back, “I don’t care. I believe Putin.”

“The president launched into several unrelated diatribes. One of those was commenting on the recent missile launches by the government of North Korea. And, essentially, the president said he did not believe that the North Koreans had the capability to hit us here with ballistic missiles in the United States. And he did not believe that because President Putin had told him they did not. President Putin had told him that the North Koreans don’t actually have those missiles. Intelligence officials in the briefing responded that that was not consistent with any of the intelligence our government possesses. To which the president replied, ‘I don’t care. I believe Putin’.”

After the airing of 60 Minutes, Trump took to Twitter to retweet his attacks on McCabe, and added this:

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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DOJ Inspector General’s Report: McCabe Repeatedly Misled Investigators

Donald Trump

According to The New York Times, the report by the Justice Department inspector general concludes that former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe repeatedly misled investigators.

The inspector general said that when investigators asked whether he had instructed aides to provide information in October 2016 to a reporter with The Wall Street Journal, Mr. McCabe said he did not authorize the disclosure and did not know who did.

But Mr. McCabe did approve the F.B.I.’s contact with the reporter, according to the review.

The newspaper article delved into a dispute between F.B.I. and Justice Department officials over how to proceed in an investigation into the financial dealings of the Clinton family’s foundation. It revealed a sensitive meeting during which Justice Department officials declined to authorize subpoenas or grand jury activity.

The inspector general also concluded that Mr. McCabe’s disclosure of the existence of the ongoing investigation in the manner described in the report violated media policy of the F.B.I. and Justice Department and constituted misconduct.

In a statement, Mr. McCabe said that he had full authorization to share this information with the media. Mr. McCabe also said that he did not intentionally mislead investigators.

Even though McCabe stepped down from his position in January, he was officially fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions less than two days before becoming eligible for his full federal pension after spending more than 20 years in government service.

Donald Trump’s thumbs couldn’t wait to take to Twitter writing in perfectly calm, reverent tones, “He LIED! LIED! LIED!”

Seriously, folks – this reads more like a meltdown than a presidential message.

The rest of the world had a few thoughts as well:

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McCabe Legal Defense Fund Raises Over $462K In One Day

Yesterday, I reported on the establishment of a legal defense fund via GoFundMe for former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, who was fired less than 26 hours of reaching his retirement after a 20+ year career with the FBI.

The move was viewed by many as a punishment from the Trump administration for not “protecting” Donald Trump in the current investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

The “fair and balanced” folks at Fox News aren’t very happy:

Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser and retired three-star Army general, is on the brink of financial ruin, selling his Virginia home in order to pay his mounting legal bills.

Meanwhile, Andrew McCabe – the wealthy ex-FBI official fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions whose wife is a physician – raised an extraordinary $400,000 online from 10,000 people in one day to pay his lawyers.

Both Flynn and McCabe have been accused of lying. Only Flynn has been charged with a crime. But both are expected to continue racking up enormous legal fees in the months to come.

McCabe, who spent more than 20 years at the FBI, was fired earlier this month by Attorney General Jeff Sessions after the DOJ’s inspector general determined McCabe was not truthful during his review of the Clinton email investigation. The FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility recommended his firing.

Flynn was fired from the White House last year for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Russia’s ambassador and then pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

You’ll notice how Fox News colors the two men’s situations: McCabe was “not truthful” while Flynn “misled” Mike Pence.

Fox News also makes note that McCabe is “wealthy” but doesn’t mention that Mike Flynn is reportedly worth $7 million.

#FairAndBalancedMyAss

I think the results of McCabe’s legal fundraising shows a lot about who Americans believe and they are putting their money where their mouth is.

It also gives further credence to how fired up Americans are to oppose Donald Trump’s woeful administration.

At this writing, McCabe’s GoFundMe campaign has raised over $462,000 from almost 11,000 donors.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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UPDATED: Andrew McCabe Launches Legal Defense GoFundMe Campaign

UPDATE: In only five hours, the campaign has exceeded the original goal of $150K and so far raised over $217,000.

You think folks believe in this guy? Yep.

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Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe has launched a GoFundMe legal defense fund to help defray costs of expected congressional inquiries and investigations  in relation to his firing by Attorney General Jeff Sessions just 26 hours before becoming eligible for his pension after a 20+ years career with the FBI.

The campaign stipulates that all funds will only be used for legal defense fees and “any funds that remain in the Legal Defense Fund will be donated to charitable organizations.”

At this writing, the campaign has raised over $77,000 in 3 hours with a goal of $150K.

And yes, I donated.

More info at The Washington Post.

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Trump Twitter Rant: Sunday Edition

Donald Trump

Clearly, whatever the kids over at Fox News were chatting on this morning really put the screws to Donald Trump as he vented vociferously about fired FBI officials Andrew McCabe and James Comey on  Twitter.

First, Trump accused Comey of lying under oath to a Senate committee writing, “Wow, watch Comey lie under oath to Senator G when asked “have you ever been an anonymous source…or known someone else to be an anonymous source…?” He said strongly “never, no.” He lied as shown clearly on @foxandfriends.”

Then The Donald went after Andrew McCabe after reports that McCabe, like Comey, kept contemporaneous notes after every meeting with Trump.

See, that’s what FBI agents are trained to do so they can recall details more clearly should they need to in the future. But, alas, Trump doesn’t really grasp the concept of taking notes or being detail oriented.

Trump finally lied to his followers saying Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team is full of Democrats out to get him: “Why does the Mueller team have 13 hardened Democrats, some big Crooked Hillary supporters, and Zero Republicans? Another Dem recently added…does anyone think this is fair? And yet, there is NO COLLUSION!”

Folks were quick to point out that Mueller is a longtime Republican. He was nominated by President George W. Bush for FBI director in 2001, and was appointed special counsel by Trump’s own pick to be deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, who is also a Republican.

Of Mueller’s investigation team, seven of the 17 lawyers brought on by Mueller have donated to Democratic political candidates. But, you know, facts…

The Twitterverse, of course, responded:

And it was shortly thereafter that Trump’s team whisked him off to the golf course:

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Out Democratic Congressman Offers To Hire McCabe To Help Qualify For Pension

Andrew McCabe

The morning after Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired former FBI Deputy Director McCabe, just days before McCabe would qualify for his pension, out Congressman Mark Pocan of Wisconsin offered to hire McCabe in an effort to help him qualify for his pension.

Pocan tweeted his offer as a response to NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, who said the former FBI official might still be able to receive his pension if he’s hired by a member of Congress.

“Andrew call me. I could use a good two-day report on the biggest crime families in Washington, D.C.,” Pocan tweeted.

In related McCabe news, multiple sources say McCabe kept contemporaneous notes from every meeting he had with Trump, just like his former boss James Comey did.

Additionally, McCabe has apparently lawyered up having hired Michael Bromwich who served as the DOJ’s Inspector General for six years.

Bromwich issued this statement which, among other things, calls out Donald Trump’s “drive-by Twitter attacks” on McCabe.

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Trump Gloats Over Firing Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe

With absolutely no attempt to hide his involvement, Donald Trump openly gloated about firing former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on Twitter this morning.

“Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI,” wrote Trump. “A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!”

Folks with a LOT of legal experience didn’t think this was such a good idea…

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After 22 Years, Former FBI Deputy Director Fired 2 Days Shy Of His Retirement

Andrew McCabe

This is some stone-cold shit.

After 22 years service with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was fired tonight by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, less than two days shy of his retirement.

From CNN:

McCabe had more recently been regularly taunted by President Donald Trump and besieged by accusations that he had misled internal investigators at the Justice Department.

In a blistering statement Friday night, McCabe said his firing is part of a larger effort to discredit the FBI and the special counsel’s investigation.

“This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort not just to slander me personally, but to taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally,” McCabe said. “It is part of this Administration’s ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the Special Counsel investigation, which continue to this day. Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the Special Counsel’s work.”

McCabe had been expected to retire this Sunday, on his 50th birthday, when he would have become eligible to receive early retirement benefits.

But Friday’s termination could place a portion of his anticipated pension, earned after more than two decades of service, in significant jeopardy.

Donald Trump, who clearly ordered the firing, weighed in via Twitter:

Here’s McCabe’s statement tonight: