FBI pressing on with Russia probe
UNITED STATES: Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe has rejected the Trump White House’s characterisation of the Russian election meddling investigation as a low priority, and has delivered a passionate defence of former director James Comey – putting himself squarely at odds with the president while the bureau’s future hangs in the balance.
McCabe, who had been the No 2 official in the FBI until President Donald Trump fired Comey this week, said yesterday the bureau considered the probe into possible coordination between the Kremlin and the Trump team during the 2016 election campaign a ‘‘highly significant investigation’’, and that it would not be derailed because of a change in leadership.
‘‘You cannot stop the men and women of the FBI from doing the right thing, protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution,’’ McCabe said.
McCabe’s assertion, which came during a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, directly contradicted a White House spokeswoman’s description of the Russian case as ‘‘probably one of the smallest things that they’ve got going on their plate’’.
McCabe also promised that if the White House tried to interfere in the bureau’s work, he would alert the committee. He also said he would not offer any status updates about the matter to the president or those who work for him.
He said there had ‘‘been no effort to impede our investigation to date’’.
McCabe may not remain the FBI’s acting director. He was elevated to the post essentially by default, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein have interviewed four candidates to find someone potentially to take over in the short term.
McCabe did not seem concerned with winning Trump’s favour. Asked by Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden whether he would ‘‘refrain’’ from providing ‘‘updates to the president or anyone else in the White House on the status of the’’ Russia probe, McCabe answered unequivocally: ‘‘I will.’’
That was noteworthy, because just hours after McCabe’s testimony ended, NBC News published portions of an interview with Trump in which the president claimed that Comey had told him three times that he was not under investigation - at least once in a phone call that Trump initiated.
McCabe also rejected the president’s assertions that Comey ‘‘was not doing a good job’’ and that the bureau was ‘‘in turmoil’’.
He acknowledged that there were some in the agency who were ‘‘frustrated with the outcome’’ of the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state - the handling of which was cited as a rationale for firing Comey. But he defended the bureau’s leadership, and praised Comey in particular.
‘‘It has been the greatest privilege and honour of my professional life to work with him,’’ McCabe said of Comey. ‘‘Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the FBI, and still does to this day.’’
The New York Times reported that Comey declined to pledge loyalty to Trump during a dinner the men shared in January.
The newspaper quoted two unnamed Comey associates, who said Comey instead promised Trump ‘‘honesty’’.
The account echoed a comment made earlier by longtime Comey friend Daniel Richman, who said Trump had removed ‘‘somebody unwilling to pledge absolute loyalty to him’’.
– Washington Post, AP