FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was fired late on Friday, less than two days to his retirement. He has now fired back saying his firing was part of Donald Trump's plan to end Special Council Investigation into Trump's involvement with Russia.
The career of McCabe, who had risen to serve as second-in-command at the FBI, was ended over claims that he misled internal investigators at the Justice Department. He was fired less than two days before his 50th birthday and scheduled retirement date. The sudden firing could strip McCabe of his pension after more than 20 years of service.
Almost immediately after McCabe’s firing was announced, Trump's personal lawyer took to Twitter to call for the ending of the investigation into Trump's involvement with Russia, and this in turn sparked a widespread backlash from Senators across the board. In fact, McCabe even spoke on Trump’s persistence in ending the investigation in a statement to CNN.
In a blistering statement Friday night, McCabe said his firing is part of a larger effort to discredit the FBI and the special counsel's investigation.
He said: "This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort not just to slander me personally, but 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. Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the Special Counsel's work."
Shortly after midnight on Friday, Trump tweeted: "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 been expected to retire today, Sunday, on his 50th birthday, when he would have become eligible to receive early retirement benefits. But Friday's termination could place a portion of his anticipated pension in significant jeopardy.