Andy Biggs calls AG Sessions’ decision to fire McCabe ‘justified’
Mar 17, 2018, 2:58 PM
(AP Photo/Bob Christie, File)
(AP Photo/Bob Christie, File)
PHOENIX – After Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Friday night that he was firing former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs released a statement Saturday calling the decision by Sessions “justified.”
“Contrary to his attempts to rewrite the facts, Andrew McCabe was fired because of his own actions and dishonesty,” Biggs said in a statement. “Attorney General Sessions was justified in accepting the recommendation from McCabe’s former bureau, and I applaud the Attorney General for his thoughtful and decisive consideration.”
Sessions fired McCabe after a recommendation by FBI disciplinary officials. The move also came just two days before McCabe was scheduled to retire.
McCabe was expected to be the subject of a report by the inspector general, concluding he had authorized the release of information to the news media and had not been forthcoming with the watchdog office as it examined the bureau’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
“McCabe’s conflicts of interest in handling the Hillary Clinton investigation have been well documented,” Biggs said. “He should have removed himself from that investigation – as well as any query into the ongoing witch hunt against President Donald Trump.”
A frequent target of President Donald Trump’s anger, the president has repeatedly condemned McCabe over the last year for what he believed was a biased viewpoint to his administration.
McCabe had spent more than 20 years as a career FBI official, and had played key roles in some of the bureau’s most recent significant investigations. His retirement was set to begin on Sunday, but now his ability to collect his full pension benefits upon his departure is in jeopardy.
Following Sessions’ announcement on Friday, McCabe released a rebuttal statement, saying his credibility was attacked as part of an effort to “taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally.”
“It is part of this administration’s ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the special counsel investigation, which continue to this day,” McCabe added, referring to the ongoing investigation into coordination with Russia and the Trump Campaign.
“Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the special counsel’s work.”
Biggs said in his statement that McCabe attempted to “rewrite the facts” of the Clinton investigation, saying that his firing was in large part due to his own actions.
The congressman called for an appointment of a second Special Council, saying it was “more imperetive” for Americans to have transparency with the nation’s law enforcement and intelligence community.
“Americans deserve to know that members of their law enforcement and intelligence community will uphold themselves to the highest levels of integrity,” Biggs said. “Most of these public servants adhere to these admirable standards.
“Andrew McCabe did not.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
