Andrew McCabe, FBI deputy director fired by Trump, cleared by Justice Department
Andrew McCabe, the former FBI deputy director fired by President Trump's Justice Department shortly before he was set to receive his pension, has been cleared in a settlement with the Justice Department.
McCabe was fired by then Attorney General Jeff Sessions just 26 hours before he was set to retire. The firing meant he was not eligible to receive his full pension, but this latest settlement means he will get his pension and his record will be cleared.
In a statement on Thursday night, McCabe said "politics should never play a role in the fair administration of justice and civil service personnel decisions." He said he was "deeply grateful" to his lawyers, and he hoped "that this result encourages the men and women of the FBI to continue to protect the American people by standing up for the truth and doing their jobs without fear of political retaliation."
He spoke further about the settlement Thursday night on CNN, telling Anderson Cooper that it was an "incredible relief" for the ordeal to be over.
"It is both an incredible relief, it's satisfying, but it's also kind of sad," he said. "I mean, this should never have happened. My family should never have had to go through this."
McCabe, who served as deputy director under James Comey, the FBI director fired by Mr. Trump, had advocated for the appointment of the special counsel to deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein after Comey was fired.
McCabe was fired ahead of the release of a Justice Department inspector general report that alleged he lied under oath three times about sharing information with the media about the agency's investigation into the Clinton Foundation.
McCabe has said that he was authorized by the FBI to release the information, and he always insisted he was targeted in a campaign to discredit the former special counsel's investigation. He told "60 Minutes" in 2019 that he believes he was "fired because I opened a case against the president of the United States.
Before McCabe was fired, Mr. Trump tweeted that McCabe was "racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"
After McCabe was fired, Mr. Trump tweeted "Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - 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!"
McCabe told "60 Minutes" that the "idea that this president would know what a great day for the FBI or a great day for democracy was is preposterous."
Pat Milton contributed to this report.