Andrew McCabe, the former deputy director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation fired by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday, kept detailed notes about his interactions with President Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Andrew McCabe, the former deputy director at the Federal Bureau of Investigation fired by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday, kept detailed notes about his interactions with President Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with the matter.
McCabe has said he believed his firing was because he corroborated former FBI Director James Comey's claim that Trump tried to pressure him into killing a probe into Russian interference in the 2016 US election. Comey has told Congress he kept a detailed written record of his conversations with Trump.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is leading the probe into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russia during the presidential election, a claim that Trump has denied.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired the FBI's former No 2 official on Friday, prompting McCabe to say he is being targeted because he is a crucial witness into whether President Donald Trump tried to obstruct the Russia investigation.
Sessions, in a statement on Friday, said he felt justified in firing McCabe after the Justice Department's internal watchdog found he leaked information to reporters and misled investigators about his actions.
"The FBI expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity and accountability," Sessions said.
But McCabe, who played a crucial role in the bureau's investigations of Hillary Clinton and Russia's interference in the 2016 US election, denied those claims and said he is facing retaliation by the Trump administration.
In a lengthy statement, McCabe said he believes he is being politically targeted because he corroborated former FBI Director James Comey's claims that Trump tried to pressure him into killing the Russia probe.
"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," McCabe said in his statement.
"This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort ... to taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally."
Trump posted a message on his twitter account early Saturday, praising the action and blasting both McCabe and Comey.
Trump wrote, "Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!"
McCabe had stepped down from his position as FBI deputy director in January but remained on leave pending retirement.
His departure was triggered by a critical report from the Justice Department's inspector general that eventually led the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility to recommend he be fired.
The report, which has yet to be made public, says McCabe misled investigators about his communications with a former Wall Street Journal reporter who was writing about McCabe's role in probes tied to Clinton, including an investigation of the Clinton family's charitable foundation.
In his statement, McCabe denied ever misleading investigators.
He added that the release of the inspector general's report was "accelerated" after he testified behind closed doors before the U.S. House Intelligence Committee where he revealed he could back up Comey's claims.
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