Sessions fires Andrew McCabe, effective immediately
Former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe was fired from the Justice Department on Friday, just two days before he was set to retire and receive his pension. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he'd dismissed McCabe "effective immediately," saying McCabe "lacked candor."
McCabe had become a frequent target of President Trump because of his wife's congressional run as a Democrat, though most recently he was accused of an "unauthorized disclosure to the media," detailed in a yet-to-be released report that allegedly accuses McCabe of trying to hide a conversation he arranged between FBI officials and The Wall Street Journal. He was set to retire Sunday, at which point he would have been eligible to receive a pension after 21 years of service; it is unclear how the preemptive firing will affect that benefit.
McCabe defended his integrity after the news broke, telling The New York Times: "The idea that I was dishonest is just wrong." He additionally tied his firing to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential collusion by the Trump campaign, saying in a statement: "The big picture is a tale of what can happen when law enforcement is politicized ... I am being singled out and treated this way because of the role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath of the firing of James Comey."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
McCabe added that his dismissal is "part of [the Trump administration's] ongoing war with the FBI and the efforts of the special counsel investigation, which continue to this day." Read McCabe's entire statement — in which he fiercely defends his honor — below. Kimberly Alters
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
The Icelandic women’s strike 50 years onIn The Spotlight The nation is ‘still no paradise’ for women, say campaigners
-
Mall World: why are people dreaming about a shopping centre?Under The Radar Thousands of strangers are dreaming about the same thing and no one sure why
-
Why scientists are attempting nuclear fusionThe Explainer Harnessing the reaction that powers the stars could offer a potentially unlimited source of carbon-free energy, and the race is hotting up
-
Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversalSpeed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
At least 800 dead in Afghanistan earthquakespeed read A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star programspeed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
