Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Friday on CNN that while he was grateful the Department of Justice is dropping its investigation into him, it is an “absolute disgrace” it took two years.
McCabe said, “You know, it was traumatic to leave the FBI, certainly in the way that I did. And that’s been tough to live with. And this, the added insult and suspicion that comes with being under criminal investigation, just made the entire experience a million times worse. And I have to say that as glad as I am that the Justice Department and the DC attorney’s office finally decided to do the right thing today it’s an absolute disgrace that they took two years and put my family through this experience for two years before they finally drew the obvious conclusion and one they could have drawn a long, long time ago.”
He continued, “Like all Americans, I’ve been greatly concerned by what I’ve seen take place in the White House and in the Department of Justice, quite frankly in the last week and certainly the president’s kind of revenge tirade following his acquittal in the impeachment proceeding has only amplified my concerns about what would happen in my own case. I’ve said from the very first day, from the very first day that we were notified by the Department of Justice, that news of what should have been a confidential investigation was leaked to the public. That if they followed the law and they followed the facts that I would have nothing to worry about. But as the president’s interest in pursuing his perceived political enemies continued over the last two years, we were getting more and more concerned about where this would end up because quite frankly we are seeing things happen every day in this country that many of us never ever thought we would see here. The pursuit of political enemies and use of the criminal justice system and criminal investigations to exact some sort of political revenge on those enemies is something that should not be happening in the United States of America. ”
He added, “I really am looking forward to celebrating with my family and friends. It’s been so unbelievably tense, and just such an incredible pressure on all of us, and we’re all very, very happy. I’m just so glad my kids don’t have to live with this anymore. And then beyond that, you know, I am enjoying finally having the opportunity to speak publicly about things that I believe deeply in, about concerns that we all have about our country and the way things are going. And I look forward to continuing doing that work and trying to add to the conversation in the most productive ways that I can.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN