Report faults FBI’s former No. 2

WASHINGTON» The Justice Department inspector general is preparing a damaging report on former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, alleging he was responsible for approving an improper media disclosure, two people familiar with the matter said. One of the sources said McCabe also will be accused of misleading investigators about his actions.

The report is a part of Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s broad review of the FBI and Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.

During that work, inspector general’s investigators found that McCabe had authorized the disclosure of information to The Wall Street Journal for an October 2016 story that examined feuding inside the FBI and Justice Department around the handling of a separate investigation into Clinton’s family foundation, two people familiar with the case said.

Those probing the matter believe that McCabe, who stepped down in January, misled them when they initially inquired about the subject, although one person familiar with the forthcoming report said McCabe disputes that he intentionally misled investigators.

It is unclear how McCabe is said to have misled investigators. The inspector general’s findings on the media disclosure were first reported by The New York Times.

Through a representative, McCabe declined to comment.

Horowitz’s report is almost certain to be used by President Donald Trump, who has railed against leaks and made McCabe a particular target of his ire in recent months.