Andrew McCabe Describes Trump As "Unhinged" In WAPO Op-ed
"I was sad, but not surprised, to see that such unhinged public attacks on me would continue into my life after my service to the FBI. President Trump’s cruelty reminded me of the days immediately following the firing of James B. Comey, as the White House desperately tried to push the falsehood that people in the FBI were celebrating the loss of our director. The president’s comments about me were equally hurtful and false, which shows that he has no idea how FBI people feel about their leaders."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/andrew-mccabe-not-in-my-worst-nightmares-did-i-dream-my-fbi-career-would-end-this-way/2018/03/23/5ff8fd8c-2eb9-11e8-8688-e053ba58f1e4_story.html?utm_term=.fabb054235f3
Andrew McCabe served in the FBI from 1996 until March 16. He was the bureau’s deputy director from 2016 to January, including time as acting director from May to August 2017.
On March 16, I spent the day with my family waiting to hear whether I would be fired, after 21 years in the FBI and one day before I qualified for my long-planned, earned retirement.
As day turned to night, I had a lot of time to reflect on how it would feel to be separated from the organization I loved — and led — and the mission that has been the central focus of my professional life. Despite all the preparation for the worst-case scenario, I still felt disoriented and sick to my stomach. Around 10 p.m., a friend called to tell me that CNN was reporting that I had been fired . She read me the attorney general’s statement .
So, after two decades of public service, I found out that I had been fired in the most disembodied, impersonal way — third-hand, based on a news account. Shortly after getting word, I noticed an email from a Justice Department official in my work account, telling me that I had been “removed from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the civil service.”
I have been accused of “ lack of candor .” That is not true. I did not knowingly mislead or lie to investigators. When asked about contacts with a reporter that were fully within my power to authorize as deputy director, and amid the chaos that surrounded me, I answered questions as completely and accurately as I could. And when I realized that some of my answers were not fully accurate or may have been misunderstood, I took the initiative to correct them. At worst, I was not clear in my responses, and because of what was going on around me may well have been confused and distracted — and for that I take full responsibility. But that is not a lack of candor. And under no circumstances could it ever serve as the basis for the very public and extended humiliation of my family and me that the administration, and the president personally, have engaged in over the past year.
Not in my worst nightmares did I ever dream my FBI career would end this way.
The next day I woke to find the president of the United States celebrating my punishment: “ Andrew McCabe FIRED , a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI — A great day for Democracy.” I was sad, but not surprised, to see that such unhinged public attacks on me would continue into my life after my service to the FBI. President Trump’s cruelty reminded me of the days immediately following the firing of James B. Comey, as the White House desperately tried to push the falsehood that people in the FBI were celebrating the loss of our director. The president’s comments about me were equally hurtful and false, which shows that he has no idea how FBI people feel about their leaders.
I was drawn to the FBI by nothing more complicated than a desire to do good. In 1994, I submitted a special-agent application, dreaming about what life as a criminal investigator would be like. I devoured every book I could find, and binged on news coverage of FBI investigations. When the day came for me to report to the FBI training academy at Quantico, Va., I embarked on the greatest professional adventure I could ever imagine.
Each year, more than 2,000 men and women of all races, colors and creeds are drawn to the FBI by the same professional and personal desire to do good. It is the DNA that we all share. As acting director, I frequently talked to FBI people about that shared DNA as the glue that bound us together and enabled us to stay mission-focused during the chaos that followed Comey’s firing in May 2017. True to form, our agents, analysts and professional staff reacted as FBI people always do. They continued to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution despite the political winds — and the unprecedented attacks on us by the president and other partisans — that buffeted us.
The nation continues to need them. And not just the current employees of the FBI, but all smart, talented, dedicated people considering careers in the law enforcement and intelligence communities. These are hard jobs that demand sacrifice, often involve danger, and take a toll on families and personal lives. But they also offer the rare opportunity to enter into a sacred trust with the American people: to protect and defend them, honestly, justly and fairly. There is no greater responsibility, but there is no greater reward. We cannot afford for young people to be dissuaded from lives of public service by the divisive politics and partisan attacks that now so characterize our national discourse and that, I believe, played a major role in the end of my FBI career.
To those men and women, I say: Fear not. Set the headlines aside and give in to what draws you to this work. The country needs you.
There is nothing like having the opportunity to be a part of the greatest law-enforcement organization in the world, working every day for goals that you respect and cherish. It is the best job you will ever have. Even if a president decides to attack you and your family. Even if you get fired on a Friday night, one day from your retirement.
Right wingers continue to be deluded that somehow a new investigation will come along that will prove that McCabe and Comey and Mueller etc are all traitors who will be put behind bars. This sort of unhinged thinking has influenced the president* to say all the stupid things he has been saying.
We have to remove conspiracy thinking from public discourse, and most certainly, send Trump and his deplorable followers to the dustbin of history.
. At worst, I was not clear in my responses, and because of what was going on around me may well have been confused and distracte
Poor McCabe, the same guy who sent Strozek to ambush Flynn under the guise of a routine visit and indicted him for his misleading answers wants leniency because "alot was going on" when he gave misleading answers in testimony that he was able to prepare for.
As the Mueller investigations starts to produce real results, Trump is freaking out!
Except it hasn't, isn't, and won't. If so, list all these "results"
Great commentary. I suspect lots of civil servants are reconsidering whether their pension is worth working under an unstable authoritarian and a sociopath, and I can sure see why Trump has been unable to recruit anyone competent.
"President Trump’s cruelty reminded me of the days immediately following the firing of James B. Comey"
Oh, how cruel!
Except that it wasn't Trump that fired this rotten snake. It was his peers at the FBI who recommended the firing.
So tell us lying Andy, Why does Flynn gets charged with perjury and you don't?
In left wing minds, no liberal can be a crook....or it's OK because it's for a "good" cause....like trying to overturn a legitimate and honest election.
It seem's like they are right - All these Intell officials who have leaked & lied have yet to be prosecuted. Overall HRC, Lois Lerner, Huma Abedin and Samantha Power have gone unscathed. Eric Holder as AG defied Congress and only got held in contempt. When do we root out and punish the leftist moles in government?
It's coming, starting a few days after the midterms.
I'm hoping right after the IG report. That should be coming soon.
You guys are hallucinating.
The nation will not stand for a Donald Trump directed assault against US federal law enforcement figures.
You have to stop reading and listening to nut job right wing lunatic, conspiracy, web sites and tv and radio stations, or your brains will rot away.
Vic, sometimes you sound like a relatively reasonable and somewhat informed right winger, and sometimes you sound like a bamboozled and totally misled conspiracy nut. Stabilize your thinking for goodness sake.
Vic, you have to get a grip. You sound like one of the lunatics that wailed about "Benghazi" for three solid years. Or IRS, or Fast and Furious, or all the other faux scandals right wing extremist media dreamed up.
The IG was appointed by Barak Obama. McCabe's firing was recommended by the FBI:
The FBI office that handles employee discipline has recommended firing the bureau’s former deputy director over allegations that he authorized the disclosure of sensitive information to a reporter and misled investigators when asked about it
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-disciplinary-office-recommends-firing-former-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe/2018/03/14/c1d0dc1a-208a-11e8-86f6-54bfff693d2b_story.html?utm_term=.5eefef1bcbb3
Are you denying the facts above?
That incident has zero bearing on "Russia/Trump".
Were you not in the forefront of those who claimed that the "FBI informant" would blow open Comey and Mueller's involvement in some imagined Uranium One scandal? That pipedream has completely fallen apart.
Your news sources are unreliable and fanciful , conspiracy based nonsense more often than not, and you are devoted to them and your credibility suffers for it.
And your satisfied with the way Obama's Justice Department conducted those investigations?
Eric Holder was held in contempt of Congress for withholding information on Fast & Furious.
The IRS ADMITTED they targeted Conservatives and Lois Lerner was allowed to retire with full pension.
The Clinton e-mail investigation was highly irregular and WILL be revisited finally via an independent process.
Now let me ask you a question; Compare the Clinton investigation to the Mueller investigation - tell me if you see a difference?
Ya, that is exactly what they do
Whether it does or not, shouldn't it be addressed?
Yup, just one of many wrongs in that so-called "investigation". She did recuse herself - AFTER IT WAS OVER!!!
There were numerous "legal experts" who concluded that Clinton would not and should not be criminally charged over her emails, and that was before Comey said a word.
What Clinton did was an administrative matter. She did not reveal or sell any state secrets and everyone she exchanged emails with had clearance to receive those messages that were classified.
It was sloppy on her part and a big embarrassment to her, but people mishandle classified information all the time in government and do not go to jail. Comey understood that, and explained quite well why it was inappropriate to criminally charge her.
Lunatics on the right who have developed a 25 year long vendetta against Hillary Clinton went way overboard, and still do to this day.
Hopefully in November enough Americans will be sick of it and Trump and send his deplorable government a big message.
I'm not troubled by it at all. The whole thing was way overblown .
I'm sure you think a lot of reasonable conclusions are bizarre.
"Unhinged"
Based on his behavior, a fair enough description.
Looks like McCabe is the unhinged one:
"Robyn Gritz, who said she served 16 years with the bureau fighting terrorism, told "Fox & Friends" that she celebrated McCabe's dismissal and that it brought back memories of how he allegedly mistreated her.
Gritz said that she began working with McCabe in 2005 until she ultimately resigned several years later.
She said McCabe retaliated against her for filing a harassment claim against one of her supervisors."