FBI Director Andrew McCabe ‘Removed From Bureau’ In Update — Questions Swirl Around What’s Lurking In ‘Memo’
FBI Director Andrew McCabe has stepped down from his position as the director of the FBI, which is effective today. McCabe has been a frequent target of angst coming from Trump and some of Trump’s Republican colleagues in recent months. Several Republicans in Congress along with Trump have accused McCabe of political bias when it comes to the investigations related to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump by the FBI, according to CNBC News.
Trump was asked by reporters if he knew about McCabe’s move, but he did not acknowledge the questions coming from the press. According to Fox News, the “big” question is “what is in that memo” and does McCabe’s exit have anything to do with this?
Trump and his Republican colleagues “question McCabe’s role in the Clinton email probe and the investigation into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin.” It was widely thought that McCabe would not step down from the job at least until March when he will be eligible for the full retirement benefits from the FBI.
Fox News host Harris Faulkner is reporting that McCabe has “been removed” as opposed to “stepping down,” according to sources close to Fox. The news is breaking and according to Laura Trump, who is Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, she is “very interested” to see what is in this memo. Laura Trump joined Faulkner on Fox News Monday afternoon.
Update: According to a new article from Fox News, McCabe was “removed from office” and is taking a “‘terminal leave’ – effectively taking a vacation until he reaches his planned retirement in a matter of weeks. As such, he will not be reporting to work at the FBI anymore.”
Andrew McCabe was reportedly 'forced' to step down https://t.co/50aUyTE7yp
— Raw Story (@RawStory) January 29, 2018
According to CNBC News, McCabe is going to stay on the agency’s payroll until March, which would be the earliest possible retirement date so that it would not interfere with his FBI full retirement benefits. Back in December, this was something Trump mentioned in a tweet.
Trump said that McCabe was “racing the clock” so that he would be able to retire with his full benefits intact. That tweet is seen below.
FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017
McCabe has stepped down, but it looks as if it took the White House by surprise, according to the live report coming from Fox News. The White House officials apparently heard the news after the fact, with some reports saying that they heard the news via a TV report.
Donald Trump Jr. hopped online upon hearing of McCabe’s departure and he tweeted.
Strange timing. “Stepping down” the day after FBI brass sees the memo. I wonder what’s in there? #releasethememo https://t.co/Wbd37zU9f1
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 29, 2018
Trump Jr. also mentioned McCabe’s pension in a tweet. It sounds as if he is referring to the news that McCabe will stay on the FBI payroll until March despite stepping down from the director’s position. It is in the month of March when he will be eligible for his full retirement package from the agency. Trump Jr.’s tweet is seen below.
So they will keep him on till then despite all this to make sure the American tax payer is stuck paying him for the rest of his life? https://t.co/5MVh9xAUxR
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 29, 2018
McCabe oversaw Hillary Clinton‘s use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State. He has also been accused of “conflict of interest in that case because his wife accepted nearly $500,000 in political donations from Clinton ally Terry McAuliffe in a state legislature bid that predated the investigation,” according to the Hill.
