The legal storms surrounding former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe (shown) — who is facing possible criminal charges related to lying under oath about leaks he made to the Wall Street Journal in 2016 — are intensifying. The ousted McCabe may wind up facing criminal charges for the possible obstruction of justice issues underlying those leaks. And as more comes to light, he may face other charges, as well.
McCabe was fired just as he was set to retire from the FBI after being named in the Republican memo dealing with the improper means by which a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) warrant was obtained against Trump associate Carter Page. He is now being investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Inspector General (OIG), which has referred him to the United States Attorney’s Office in Washington D.C. for possible criminal charges.
The leaks themselves were designed to create a narrative that McCabe seemed to hope would polish his tarnished reputation in the wake of his “stand down” order in the investigation of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s illegal use of an unauthorized, insecure, private e-mail server. The scandal was largely responsible for her loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Now, McCabe’s part in attempting to help her cover up her illegal actions could land him in jail.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office began investigating Clinton after the New York Times reported in March 2015 that State Department officials admitted that “Hillary Rodham Clinton exclusively used a personal email account to conduct government business as secretary of state” and “may have violated federal requirements that officials’ correspondence be retained as part of the agency’s record.” This was even before the DOJ requested an official investigation in July 2015.
In text messages between FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page (no relation to Carter Page), McCabe is shown to be part of a “secret society” within the FBI and DOJ that was protecting Clinton and had an “insurance policy” in place to get rid of Trump if he were elected. McCabe has also been accused of issuing a “stand down” order to investigators who were looking into the Clinton Foundation. The leaks he made to journalists — and lied about under oath — are related to that “stand down” order. But now, “multiple former FBI officials, along with a Congressional official” say that McCabe had also issued a similar order for investigators to “stand down” in the initial Clinton e-mail probe, according to investigative reporter Sara Carter.
McCabe was out of the country when he learned of the Washington Field Office’s investigation of Clinton’s illegal use of her e-mail server and account. He reached out to the agents on the case to express his displeasure that the investigation was even taking place.
Carter quotes a source as saying, “McCabe tried to steer people off the private email investigation and that appears to be obstruction and should be investigated.” That source went on to say, “Now if the information on the ‘stand-down’ order is obtained by the IG that could bring a whole lot of other troubles to McCabe.”
The IG has obtained “all of McCabe’s communications,” according to Carter’s sources. That would mean the order to “stand down” on the Clinton e-mail investigation — as part of McCabe’s involvement in the “secret society” protecting Clinton — is in the IG’s hands. The Deep State may be about to be in deep trouble.
And it appears that Deep State operatives are scrambling for cover.
Carter also reported:
Judicial Watch, a conservative government watchdog group, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in September 2017 against the FBI for the communications on behalf of retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jeff Danik, as previously reported. Danik spent more than 28 years with the bureau as a supervisor in the counter-terrorism division and special overseas advisor. Thus far, the FBI has failed to abide by a judge’s order to turn over all of former McCabe’s text messages, emails and SMS phone messages.
While the FBI is stalling the release related to Danik’s FOIA suit, the IG — already in possession of those communications — is set to release its second report on the FBI’s handling (or mishandling) of the Clinton e-mail investigation in May. Given that the previous report led to a referral for criminal charges against McCabe, the upcoming report will likely increase the pressure.
So, McCabe — who abused his position of power to protect Clinton from the consequences of her abuse of power — appears to be approaching the moment of truth. Having issued two separate orders for investigating agents to “stand down” in the Clinton Foundation and Clinton e-mail scandal investigations, and facing possible perjury charges related to his leaks to media to protect his tattered reputation, McCabe is likely to take a fall.
As this investigation continues, it is almost certain that other high-ranking officials who are part of McCabe’s “secret society” will fall with McCabe. And even as the conspirators who created the false narrative of Trump/Russia collusion as an apparent part of their “insurance policy” continue to be exposed, the investigations into that false narrative continue to fall short of producing any evidence of collusion.
Whatever else one may think of President Trump, it appears that Deep State operatives underestimated his ability to weather a storm. Now, it looks like it’s their turn.
Photo of Andrew McCabe: FBI
