Andrew McCabe Admitted He Lied to FBI, Faces Prosecution for Making False Statements

According to newly released transcripts, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe admitted he changed his story regarding a Wall Street Journal report about the Hillary Clinton email investigation. McCabe had denied being the source but later confessed. McCabe was interviewed on May 9, 2017, the same day President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, but changed his story when interviewed a few months later after investigators pressed him over “conflicting information.” McCabe then admitted he’d been the source of the story.

“I need to know from you, did you authorize this article? Were you aware of it? Did you authorize it?” McCabe was asked.

McCabe responded, “Yep. Yep, I did,” as nice as he possibly could, according to the agent.

The transcripts were released as part of a FOIA request by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

McCabe’s admission changed the course of the interview, as he went from a witness to a target for criminal prosecution. Making a false statement to a federal officer is a crime. Martha Stewart, Rod Blagojevich, Scooter Libby, and Bernie Madoff, have all been convicted of making false state statements.

And the agent wasn’t happy with him. “I remember saying to him, at, I said, sir, you understand that we’ve put a lot of work into this based on what you told us. I mean, and I even said, long nights and weekends working on this, trying to find out who amongst your ranks of trusted people would, would do something like that. And he kind of just looked down, kind of nodded, and said yeah I’m sorry.”

Awww, isn’t that sweet? McCabe apologized. I guess that makes it all better, doesn’t it?

What makes it worse is McCabe’s lawyer’s explanation for why he lied. He says McCabe lied in his initial interview because he wasn’t prepared for the question.

McCabe was later fired by Attorney General Jeff Sessions two days before retirement. McCabe is suing the Department of Justice for wrongful termination and defamation.

Inspector General Horowitz’s report accused McCabe of lying to investigators multiple times. The Washington Examiner reports that the Justice Department is considering criminal prosecution of McCabe.