Breaking: Andrew McCabe FBI Deputy Director steps down..

[HipChick]

Link to tweet

[chuckstevens]

1. Be ready for a BS Republican spin on this!

[HipChick]

2. Exactly..he was going to step down anyway, but just moved it up early..

[forgotmylogin]

23. The Twitter MAGA Trolls are squeeing themselves.

They say it's because he read "the memo".

[underpants]

28. Yep they're on it - Foxworld says he was "removed"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210157456

[Pachamama]

3. Is it just me? Why does this feel like there are some real bad things going on behind the scenes

....that has nothing to do with anything that Andrew McCabe is associated with or did that was wrong....

[Baitball Blogger]

12. +1

Can you imagine how history will judge how the GOP responded to the decimation of the FBI?

[PatrickforO]

15. Depends if we go the 1984 route into oligarchy/fascism or

remain a republic with some modicum of democracy.

Because all we're saying might become 'crime-think.'

[olegramps]

32. Don't lay any big bets that the Republic will even exist.

The MSM stood by any watched a demagogue seize the presidency using the same techniques that the Nazis employed in Germany. The Mexicans and Moslems are the scapegoats that he sacrificed to his following of oligarchs and outright nincompoops. The Republican Party has been pursuing a absolute fascist program for the last forty years. This is the culmination.

[RandomAccess]

41. Thanks for cheering us all up.

More seriously, I know you're too close to the truth.

[SummerSnow]

20. The no-good people probably wanted him to say or do something

unethical and he said no way

[LiberalLovinLug]

40. I have no doubt there was/is a deplorable rogue element within the FBI

As reports came out about it. Those that pressured Comey to drop the email bomb weeks before the election. And probably still in there trying to hamper the investigation as much as possible.

So I don't know if this is a good thing or bad. Is it a purging of one of the bad Trump seeds, or is it a move to avoid bias by clearing the office of any potential "Hillary lover" to be used as an excuse by Republicans to bolster their accusation that its all a witch hunt.

[workinclasszero]

4. Was he forced out by Shitler?

[malaise]

5. Off to the greatest page for thee

Lock the Con Up!!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. Something foul is afoot. nt

[Skraxx]

7. Hmm, Maybe Shit is About to Hit the Fan and Being a Material Witness, it would be a conflict for him

to remain in the FBI? He may be of more use as a witness if he's not currently DD.

Not sure though. This is big news though.

[triron]

8. Hope Rachel knows a bit more.

[Baitball Blogger]

14. I hope this is the correct interpretation.

[Ligyron]

26. That is my hope.

[TwistOneUp]

30. If Mueller's investigation goes past mid-March...

Then he can testify as he wants/needs to without jeapordizing his pension.

I wonder what he has to say?

[MineralMan]

9. Now, THAT'S News!

Uff da!

[MelissaB]

10. Jesus!

WTF is going on?

[Glimmer of Hope]

11. Woweee.. He is rather young(49) for retirement.

[Lurks Often]

42. McCabe will have been with the FBI 20 years as of March 2018, so he's eligible

When McCabe announced sometime ago that he was going to retire, it made sense. He was unlikely to be promoted any higher and probably nearly maxed out on how much he could make if he remained with the FBI. So he retires, starts to collect his pension from the FBI and go work in the private sector and make more money then he was making in the FBI.

Most law enforcement agencies have pensions that kick in after 20 years. Taking a guess, he'll get a pension of 50% of his last 3-5 years salary.

[Glimmer of Hope]

43. That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation!

[IluvPitties]

13. Is this a sign that things are about to get worse?

[HipChick]

16. Maybe worst for Trump..

[IluvPitties]

19. I hope so!

[LanternWaste]

17. He announced his desire to retire last year and said he was just waiting until fully vested

He announced his desire to retire last year and said he was just waiting until fully vested (I think that hits sometime this spring).

That said, this announcement comes during a time that could make even the most jaded cynic take a second look.

[annabanana]

18. Great opportunity for the NY Field Office

urgent background:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-donald-trumps-top-fbi-fanboy

[wishstar]

21. Wonder if after his last official day in March, he will speak out a bit publicly, as Comey did

Don't blame him for leaving as soon as he could get a full pension and this way he is able to take advantage of his accumulated leave days and not have to put up any more of the rightwing BS interfering with his ability to do his job there.

[Old Vet]

22. I tend to agree wishstar, But this move is VERY concerning to me. WTF is going on?

Common sense dictates one of two things just happened. As you stated hes looking out for his own personal interests or hes been forced out like others.

[Upthevibe]

24. I have no idea what to make of this....

NO. IDEA.....

[Honeycombe8]

37. How can he do his job, when he's being attacked by multiple powerful people daily? And...

putting his boss's job in jeopardy. An impossible situation.

Is this America? Is this a democracy? It's looking more and more like Russia.

[jalan48]

25. This happens at the same time the House Intel Committee could vote

on the release of Nune's memo. Additionally, Trump will have center stage tomorrow when he gives the SOTU address. Interesting.

[underpants]

27. Foxworld residents are being told he was "removed"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210157456

[lillypaddle]

29. This stinks

Hurry the fuck up, Mr. Mueller. And Lindsey, get that protection going regarding his firing. Time is of the essence.

[Dopers_Greed]

31. It's happening

They're gunning to fire Mueller this week.

This, plus Comrade Nunes trying to leak his memo are the signs it's coming.

[olegramps]

33. That is SS Nunes. These guys are all fascists.

[workinclasszero]

35. Yes looks like Dear Leader makes his move this week

doesn't it?

[Hekate]

34. Now that really is breaking news. Remember when Bannon said he was coming to "deconstruct"...

...the federal government? Who knew quite how much help he was gettng?

[Honeycombe8]

36. He fell on the sword, to relieve the pressure on Wray. And he made a deal....

to get his retirement benefits.

This SO SUCKS.

[Sunsky]

38. Hmmm

Something is rubbing me the wrong way with this one. Why the sudden "step down"?

[Azathoth]

39. McCabe already was on his way out

It's possible there is some embarrassing revelation about him in the Nunes farce-memo, but it's more likely that Wray just wants him gone as soon as possible because the Bureau is under unprecedented attack and McCabe is a giant shiny target. Let's be honest, if Hillary had been elected and the FBI then opened a multi-year investigation into her overseen by a guy whose wife took half a million dollars from Americans for Prosperity, we'd be more than suspicious. Given how hyper-political this whole mess is, McCabe's presence just gives the Trump cult another cudgel they can swing at the FBI.