DOJ inspector General Michael Horowitz has released a scathing report detailing multiple lies, the majority under oath, told by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe before he was fired.
The report shows McCabe lied on multiple occasions under oath and to inspector general and FBI investigators about the FBI's criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton, the FBI's investigation into the Clinton Foundation and more. He is found guilty in the report of improperly leaking sensitive information to the Wall Street Journal, which he then lied about and misled former FBI Director James Comey.
"The OIG found that then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe lacked candor, including under oath on multiple occasions in connection with describing his role in connection with a disclosure to the WSJ, and that this conduct violated FBI Offense Codes 2.5 and 2.6. The OIG also concluded that McCabe’s disclosure of the existence of an ongoing investigation in the manner described in this report violated the FBI’s and the Department’s media policy and constituted misconduct," the report states.
The 35-page report goes through McCabe's lies in detail. Here is a summary:
We found that, in a conversation with then-Director Comey shortly after the WSJ article was published, McCabe lacked candor when he told Comey, or made statements that led Comey to believe, that McCabe had not authorized the disclosure and did not know who did. This conduct violated FBI Offense Code 2.5 (Lack of Candor – No Oath).
We also found that on May 9, 2017, when questioned under oath by FBI agents from INSD, McCabe lacked candor when he told the agents that he had not authorized the disclosure to the WSJ and did not know who did. This conduct violated FBI Offense Code 2.6 (Lack of Candor – Under Oath).
We further found that on July 28, 2017, when questioned under oath by the OIG in a recorded interview, McCabe lacked candor when he stated: (a) that he was not aware of Special Counsel having been authorized to speak to reporters around October 30 and (b) that, because he was not in Washington, D.C., on October 27 and 28, 2016, he was unable to say where Special Counsel was or what she was doing at that time. This conduct violated FBI Offense Code 2.6 (Lack of Candor – Under Oath).
We additionally found that on November 29, 2017, when questioned under oath by the OIG in a recorded interview during which he contradicted his prior statements by acknowledging that he had authorized the disclosure to the WSJ, McCabe lacked candor when he: (a) stated that he told Comey on October 31, 2016, that he had authorized the disclosure to the WSJ; (b) denied telling INSD agents on May 9 that he had not authorized the disclosure to the WSJ about the PADAG call; and (c) asserted that INSD’s questioning of him on May 9 about the October 30 WSJ article occurred at the end of an unrelated meeting when one of the INSD agents pulled him aside and asked him one or two questions about the article. This conduct violated FBI Offense Code 2.6 (Lack of Candor – Under Oath).
Lastly, we determined that as Deputy Director, McCabe was authorized to disclose the existence of the CF Investigation publicly if such a disclosure fell within the “public interest” exception in applicable FBI and DOJ policies generally prohibiting such a disclosure of an ongoing investigation. However, we concluded that McCabe’s decision to confirm the existence of the CF Investigation through an anonymously sourced quote, recounting the content of a phone call with a senior Department official in a manner designed to advance his personal interests at the expense of Department leadership, was clearly not within the public interest exception. We therefore concluded that McCabe’s disclosure of the existence of an ongoing investigation in this manner violated the FBI’s and the Department’s media policy and constituted misconduct.
McCabe was fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions last month after the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and inspector general recommended he be terminated from his position for a lack of candor. After his firing, which put his government pension in jeopardy, McCabe hired a D.C. lobbying firm to set up a legal defense fund. He quickly raked in more $500,000 and the page was promoted by Democrats.
Outgoing Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy says the report further backs McCabe's justified firing.
"Today's Inspector General report confirms FBI Deputy Director McCabe's firing was justified. The second in command at our nation's premiere law enforcement agency should be the epitome of fidelity, bravery and integrity. The Inspector General found not only did McCabe divulge sensitive information, he did it without the permission, authority, or knowledge of his supervisor. The report also found a lack of candor both while under oath and while not under oath, and a failure to remedy his lack of candor despite multiple opportunities," Gowdy said.
"This report continues to call into question decisions made by FBI leadership in 2016 and 2017, which is why the Oversight and Judiciary Committees will continue our joint investigation into the matter," he continued. "I remain fully confident in the professionalism, thoroughness and fact centricity of Inspector General Horowitz, and look forward to reviewing the Inspector General's full report in May."
This story has been updated with additional information.
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