Feb 14, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Justice Department drops investigation of former FBI official Andrew McCabe

Axios

Former FBI director Andrew McCabe — Andrew McCabe. Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images

The Department of Justice is declining to bring charges against former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe in an investigation into whether he lied to investigators about a press leak, his defense team said on Friday.

Why it matters: The move closes an investigation into whether McCabe lied to federal investigators about leaking information to the media.

What they're saying:

"We learned this morning through a phone call from the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office that was followed by a letter that the Justice Department's criminal investigation of Andrew McCabe has been closed. This means that no charges will be brought against him based on the facts underlying the Office of the Inspector General's April 2018 report. At long last, justice has been done in this matter. We said at the outset of the criminal investigation, almost two years ago, that if the facts and the law determined the result, no charges would be brought. We are pleased that Andrew McCabe and his family can go on with their lives without this cloud hanging over them."

— statement from McCabe's legal counsel, Michael R. Bromwich and David Schertler

Background: McCabe and Trump have had a turbulent relationship since Trump took office.

McCabe was fired in March 2018 by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. His ouster follows an inspector general report that concluded he improperly disclosed information to reporters.

Go deeper ... Timeline: Trump's turbulent relationship with Andrew McCabe

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Justice Department drops investigation of former FBI official Andrew McCabe

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