Andrew McCabe: Not in my worst nightmares did I dream my FBI career would end this way

[mcar]

...So, after two decades of public service, I found out that I had been fired in the most disembodied, impersonal way — third-hand, based on a news account. Shortly after getting word, I noticed an email from a Justice Department official in my work account, telling me that I had been “removed from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the civil service.”

I have been accused of “lack of candor.” That is not true. I did not knowingly mislead or lie to investigators. When asked about contacts with a reporter that were fully within my power to authorize as deputy director, and amid the chaos that surrounded me, I answered questions as completely and accurately as I could. And when I realized that some of my answers were not fully accurate or may have been misunderstood, I took the initiative to correct them. At worst, I was not clear in my responses, and because of what was going on around me may well have been confused and distracted — and for that I take full responsibility. But that is not a lack of candor. And under no circumstances could it ever serve as the basis for the very public and extended humiliation of my family and me that the administration, and the president personally, have engaged in over the past year....

The next day I woke to find the president of the United States celebrating my punishment: “Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI — A great day for Democracy.” I was sad, but not surprised, to see that such unhinged public attacks on me would continue into my life after my service to the FBI. President Trump’s cruelty reminded me of the days immediately following the firing of James B. Comey, as the White House desperately tried to push the falsehood that people in the FBI were celebrating the loss of our director. The president’s comments about me were equally hurtful and false, which shows that he has no idea how FBI people feel about their leaders....

There is nothing like having the opportunity to be a part of the greatest law-enforcement organization in the world, working every day for goals that you respect and cherish. It is the best job you will ever have. Even if a president decides to attack you and your family. Even if you get fired on a Friday night, one day from your retirement.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/andrew-mccabe-not-in-my-worst-nightmares-did-i-dream-my-fbi-career-would-end-this-way/2018/03/23/5ff8fd8c-2eb9-11e8-8688-e053ba58f1e4_story.html?utm_term=.b97919e181c4

[Tatiana]

1. Yep. Looks like he's STILL SWINGING!

Money quotes:

Each year, more than 2,000 men and women of all races, colors and creeds are drawn to the FBI by the same professional and personal desire to do good. It is the DNA that we all share.

But they also offer the rare opportunity to enter into a sacred trust with the American people: to protect and defend them, honestly, justly and fairly.

To those men and women, I say: Fear not. Set the headlines aside and give in to what draws you to this work. The country needs you.

He's sending a message, I think...

[poboy2]

2. 'give in to what draws you to this work. The country needs you.'

yes

[Tatiana]

6. Uh-huh.

Don't think that comment was directed to anyone who wants to join the FBI.

I think it was aimed at the people already there.

Let's see what happens in the next couple of weeks...

He basically told us that FBI agents are part of the same family. And, maybe gave the green light to the friends that share his same "DNA" to take some stronger measures?

[poboy2]

9. A call to duty. Be strong, do your job.

Fiat justitia ruat cælum

"Let justice be done though the heavens fall."

[mcar]

3. Oh yeah, he is

[spanone]

4. He was slimed and robbed of his pension. I hope he keeps fighting till the end.

[nolabear]

5. Wow. Heartbreaking and clearly deeply angry.

I hope he has dirt.

[Tatiana]

8. Yes. But not just at Trump (who he knows is a traitor).

I think he's also angry at all the checks and balances that should have protected us, but actually failed this country and put us in this position.

What I got out of this is that he thinks the FBI is the only institution that can save us. And he is calling on the agents there to be the last firewall.

[Yavin4]

7. Maybe if your boss didn't fuck over Hillary at the last minute

with some complete bullshit.

[Cha]

11. It could have been so different.

[SHRED]

12. Yup

McCabe is a Republican and his party hates public pensions.
I shed zero tears for him.

[mcar]

14. Yes

In normal times, I'd be all about that. Now? I applaud this.

[StevieM]

18. Comey is responsible for all of this but it wasn't "at the last minute."

He screwed her over just as bad back in July with his bogus press conference.

I am also not clear why the FBI needed to be involved in the fake email scandal to begin with.

[njhoneybadger]

26. Fucking right

[Bernardo de La Paz]

27. I think Comey is too facile a target. Cambridge Analytica / FB / Russia is harder to comprehend.

But I think Comey was to some extent set up for a fall, like Al Franken got taken out by overzealous Dems after RW scandal campaign.

[Cha]

10. Sigh.. thank

you for this, mcar

[mcar]

15. Wonder if Dotard will be tweeting about this tomorrow, Cha

Me, I'll be marching right here in my little red county.

[Cha]

19. Good for you, mcar.. March for Our Lives tomorrow in your red county!

There's one in Honolulu tomorrow.. and there's one on Kauai near the airport and close to my home!


(l-r)Sarah Catino, Monica Kenny, and Jun Shin, co-organizers of a March for Our Lives Saturday, 3/24/18 starting at 10am at the State Capitol. Another rally is set for 9am at Ala Moana Park. Check the national organization's link below for details on events around Hawaii.

http://hawaiipublicradio.org/post/march-our-lives-hawai-i

[mcar]

20. Nice!

We didn't have a women's march here ( we went to DC), so I'm thrilled there's something in Crystal River.

[Cha]

21. I bet you are!

[hlthe2b]

13. This is incredibly upsetting to me.

I honestly don't know what more to say any more than I know how to get Trump removed from office tomorrow.

[mcar]

16. We have to vote and elect Democrats

Rs won't do squat.

[Miigwech]

17. I wonder if he voted for trump?

[Hekate]

23. I wonder if his wife ran for political office as a Democrat and lost? See how that works?

Trump tormented him over that repeatedly, and demanded to know if he had voted for the Great Trump. I take it he never answered.

Here's the thing: when a president comes into office, there are a whole host of political appointments that can be made, all to people from his own party.

Civil service employees are hired on merit-based examinations, and rise theough the ranks. Most of them believe they are serving the country, and while they may harbor political feelings, they essentially leave their politics in the voting booth with the secret ballot.

So you are asking the same question Trump asked -- and it is the wrong question.

[Lucinda]

29. +1

[DFW]

22. "Not in his worst nightmares?"

Really? Under what rock was HE hiding?

All he had to do was call up Republican former State Department diplomat Joe Wilson or his wife, Valerie Plame and talk to either of them for five minutes. That should be enough for ANY member of the Trump government to have those worst nightmares.

[apkhgp]

24. You go into a job because that is what you want to do in life...

But when you speak up when you see something is wrong and you get stabbed in the back. There is blood on 45's hands for doing that. And that just might come back to bite him.

[DallasNE]

25. But The FBI Did Get Sullied In Late October 2016

Comey, fearing a leak over the discovery of a back up file of Clinton's email on Weiner's laptop and he headed that off by going public that the FBI was reopening the Clinton email case. McCabe order an aide to talk with a reporter about an issue with the Clinton Foundation.

It all turned out to be a nothing burger but the damage to Clinton was done and enough voters flipped to support Trump to swing the election to Trump. Still, that is no excuse for doing this roughly 24 hours before he was set to retire.

[Gothmog]

28. This is a great editorial

[3Hotdogs]

30. Yeah, Trump fucked over Comey. I wonder how the N.Y. FBI agents feel now about supporting Trump.

[Grammy23]

31. I hope that some day in the not too distant future we learn everything

about why things happened the way they did. Why Comey did the things he did to Hillary. Why some of the behavior and actions taken were so bizarre and out of character for the people involved. We deserve to know WHY. We can speculate and try to gather facts and hints but really, we are more or less guessing. I want the unvarnished truth for a change so we understand what happened in 2016 and how we got to the place we are now.

I get it that Putin worked his plan to destroy the power and standing of the USA and that he continues to exercise his power and fully plans to manipulate our future elections as long as it is allowed to continue unchecked and unpunished. But I want details of who got pulled into his ring of deceit and destruction and how he did it and why they got sucked in. I know intellectually that money is at the heart of it, but why were so many people who claimed loyalty and had taken an oath to uphold our Constitution led down this path to treason. And at this point, it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.

The history books are going to take an abrupt detour over this chapter in our nation ....if we make it through this period without folding. I just want to know the details before I leave this earthly life. Hope I live long enough to see the whole story revealed.