Sorry if this is already being addressed in another thread. If so, I didn’t see it.
Much is being made of McCabe’s dismissal and laying blame at Trump’s feet. What doesn’t seem to be getting much play is the fact that the firing was recommended by McCabe’s own FBI OPR officials. That tells me that there must be some substance to the accusations of “lack of candor” - FBI speak for lying. Either that or there is something else in the IG’s report that warrants ending his career. Yes, Trump wanted McCabe gone for reasons other than lying but it appears the McCabe gave Sessions the ammunition to fire him for other legitimate reasons.
I keep hearing that as well but the timing of the firing, two days before his pension, seems sufficiently cold to have originated with anything other that a bit of presidential pique.
Seems to me someone ‘recommended’ Comey’s firing too. I’m not buying any of it until I see some hard evidence, certainly more than Trump’s and one of his attorneys’ tweets. I wouldn’t take their word on the time of day.
Yeah, the firing, itself, doesn’t seem political. It’s the timing, the manner and the needless tweeting afterwards that make this a political mistake. Not to mention just downright unpresidential.
I think the story as presented in the press - that the IG found wrongdoing and referred the case to the OPR, which recommended termination, is credible as reported and I’m not going to waste any breath arguing that it isn’t.
What I do not understand, like everyone else, is the precise nature of the wrongdoing. But given that two impartial watchdogs found McCabe did something seriously wrong, my main thought is: leave it to Trump and Sessions to give me sympathy for someone who may not deserve it.
Lawfare has one of the best accounts that I have read.
Regardless of the underlying (and not yet public) issues with McCabe, the hastened firing sends a chilling message to others.
I also am of the opinion that Trump would have fired Sessions had McCabe not been terminated before officially reaching retirement. So Sessions could have done this as a CYA or to protect Mueller for a bit longer.
I would certainly like to know more (and am certain we will). There was a recommendation, as noted, but I understand that we do not know what standard practice was followed after that, and what was cut short in order to remove his pension. In other words, once the recommendation is made there is normally a system in place for review of the findings, and internal hearings. It is not clear how much of this was done according to SOP.
Because of the way it was handled, whether or not it was wrong, it looks improper.
