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A2 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 15 February 2020

U.S. won't charge ex-FBI official McCabe, a Trump target

By ERIC TUCKER and MI- Cabe criminal charges
CHAEL BALSAMO eliminates the prospect of a
Associated Press sensational trial that would
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fed- have refocused public at-
eral prosecutors have de- tention on the chaotic
clined to charge former FBI months of 2016, when the
Deputy Director Andrew FBI was entangled in presi-
McCabe, closing an inves- dential politics through in-
tigation into whether the vestigations touching both
longtime target of President main contenders — Dem-
Donald Trump's ire had lied ocrat Hillary Clinton and
to federal officials about his Trump, her Republican op-
involvement in a news me- ponent.
dia disclosure, McCabe's The investigation by the
legal team said Friday. U.S. attorney's office in
The decision, coming at Washington arose from an
the end of a tumultuous October 2016 story in The
week between the Justice Wall Street Journal that de-
Department and the White scribed internal debates
House, is likely to further roiling the FBI and the Jus-
agitate a president who tice Department weeks be-
has loudly complained that fore the presidential elec-
federal prosecutors have tion about how aggressive-
pursued cases against his In this June 7, 2017, file photo, then FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe listens during a Senate ly the Clinton Foundation
allies but not against his Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Associated Press should be investigated. The
perceived political ene- article recounted a par-
mies. matters were making his misled anyone. He has said and his associates. ticularly tense phone call
The action resolves a crimi- job "impossible." his 2018 firing — for what the He has tweeted scores of between McCabe and a
nal investigation that be- On Friday, lawyers from that Justice Department called times that Comey should senior Justice Department
gan nearly two years ago office notified McCabe's "lack of candor" — was po- be charged with crimes official.
with a referral from the Jus- attorneys in a phone call litically motivated. He sued and was particularly in- The inspector general's re-
tice Department's inspec- and a letter that they were the Justice Department in censed that no charges port said McCabe repeat-
tor general's office, which closing the case. The let- August, saying officials had were filed over the former edly told internal investiga-
concluded that McCabe ter — signed by the chief of used the inspector gen- FBI director's handling of tors that he had not au-
had repeatedly lied about the office's public corrup- eral's conclusions as a pre- memos about his interac- thorized anyone at the FBI
having authorized a subor- tion unit — did not give a text to rid the FBI of leaders tions with Trump, according to speak with the reporter
dinate to share information precise reason, but said the Trump perceived as biased to a White House official and that he did not know
with a newspaper reporter decision was reached after against him. and Republican close to who did.
for a 2016 article about an "careful consideration" and The decision is likely to fur- the White House who were The report said McCabe
FBI investigation into the "based on the totality of ther exacerbate tensions not authorized to speak ultimately corrected that
Clinton Foundation. the circumstances and all between and Trump and publicly about private dis- account and confirmed
The case was handled by of the information known Barr, who before speak- cussions and spoke on con- that he had encouraged
the U.S. attorney's office in to the government at this ing out in the television dition of anonymity. the conversation with the
Washington, which was at time." interview had privately The president angrily de- reporter to counter a nar-
the center of a public dis- McCabe's lawyers, Mi- complained to aides and nounced the decision and rative that he thought was
pute with Justice Depart- chael Bromwich and David the president himself that berated Barr over it, ac- false.
ment leadership this week Schertler, said they were Trump's comments about cording to the officials. McCabe has denied any
over the recommended gratified by the decision. the Justice Department Aides expected the de- wrongdoing and has said
sentence for Trump ally and "At long last, justice has were undercutting his po- cision not to charge Mc- he was distracted by the
confidant Roger Stone. Se- been done in this matter," litical agenda and raising Cabe could produce a tumult surrounding the FBI
nior Justice Department of- the lawyers said in a state- questions about the de- similar eruption of rage. The and the White House dur-
ficials overruled a decision ment. "We said at the out- partment's credibility. White House had no imme- ing the times he was ques-
on a recommended prison set of the criminal investi- The moment came against diate comment on Friday. tioned. One of the inter-
sentence that they felt was gation, almost two years a backdrop of growing Trump has also repeatedly views took place the same
too harsh, but Attorney ago, that if the facts and anger from Trump at the complained about FBI Di- day that Comey was fired.
General William Barr also the law determined the re- Justice Department. The rector Christopher Wray in "During these inquiries, I an-
took a rare public swipe at sult, no charges would be president has seethed recent months, saying he swered questions truthfully
Trump by saying in a tele- brought." that more of his political has not done enough to rid and as accurately as I could
vision interview that the McCabe, a frequent target enemies have not been the bureau of people who amidst the chaos that sur-
president's tweets about of Trump's attacks, has de- charged, namely former are disloyal to Trump. rounded me," McCabe has
the Stone case and other nied that he intentionally FBI Director James Comey The decision to spare Mc- said in a statement.q