The response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ firing of former Deputy FBI director has been mixed from most Republicans. However, today on ‘Sunday Morning Futures,’ Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) praised the decision saying it was necessary.
“Well I think the Attorney General did the right thing. It was the appropriate decision given the reports of his having leaked internal information to the media and then giving false information about that misleading information to those investigating the matter. These are very serious concerns and they tie into the overall concern about how the FBI handled investigations into the elections last year, so the steps are appropriate,” said Rep. Goodlatte.
As Matt noted on Friday, “McCabe was cited for improperly disclosing the friction between the Department of Justice and the FBI over the investigation into the Clinton Foundation to The Wall Street Journal, and for misleading investigators when questioned about it in a DOJ inspector general report. Due to this revelation, the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility recommended his termination.
"In a statement, Attorney Jeff Sessions explained why he decided to terminate McCabe effective immediately:
After an extensive and fair investigation and according to Department of Justice procedure, the Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) provided its report on allegations of misconduct by Andrew McCabe to the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
The FBI’s OPR then reviewed the report and underlying documents and issued a disciplinary proposal recommending the dismissal of Mr. McCabe. Both the OIG and FBI OPR reports concluded that Mr. McCabe had made an unauthorized disclosure to the news media and lacked candor - including under oath - on multiple occasions.
The FBI expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and accountability. As the OPR proposal stated, “all FBI employees know that lacking candor under oath results in dismissal and that our integrity is our brand.”
Pursuant to Department Order 1202, and based on the report of the Inspector General, the findings of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility, and the recommendation of the Department’s senior career official, I have terminated the employment of Andrew McCabe effective immediately.
Rep. Goodlatte also condemned former CIA Director's John Brennan statement on Saturday in which he called the president a "disgraced demagogue."as overwrought. Rep. Goodlatte said that all Republicans and Democrats should be concerned with what occurred at the FBI during investigations into Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Rep. Goodlatte's full interview can be watched here.
