Investigative Group

Andrew McCabe Suggests DOJ Inspector General Should Be Replaced

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Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe suggested Thursday that Michael Horowitz should be replaced as Justice Department inspector general, with no pushback from CNN host John Berman.

McCabe, a CNN contributor, was on the network to discuss a mysterious case involving the intelligence community inspector general (ICIG), who is reportedly handling a whistleblower complaint involving President Donald Trump.

Berman mentioned during the conversation McCabe’s own tangles with Horowitz, who found that McCabe displayed a “lack of candor” during four interviews regarding his authorization of leaks to the media in October 2016.

McCabe, who former Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired on March 16, 2018 and is under Justice Department investigation, said he supports the inspector general process, but made it clear he has problems with Horowitz.

“It is essential that every element of the executive branch, each one of the agencies has a fair and competent and independent inspector general. And this situation really shines a light on that requirement,” McCabe said of the ICIG situation.

He jabbed at Horowitz, an Obama appointee, saying: “I hope that the Department of Justice gets that sort of inspector general some time soon.”

Berman did not push back on McCabe’s dig. The host also did not mention McCabe could soon be indicted for making false statements to the FBI. Berman also left out that the FBI fired McCabe and he is suing the bureau and Justice Department.

Berman’s own lack of candor about McCabe’s legal problems highlights some of the complaints about CNN’s decision to hire the former G-man.

“To sum up: Here is a prominent public figure with ‘real’ credibility issues, deep involvement in the Russia investigation, not to mention a just-getting-started civil action against two top law enforcement officials,” Washington Post media columnist Erik Wemple wrote on Aug. 23.

The Berman-McCabe segment raises questions about whether CNN will impartially cover a highly anticipated report that the watchdog is set to release of an investigation into whether the FBI, during McCabe’s tenure, mishandled intelligence in order to obtain warrants to spy on former Trump aide Carter Page.

McCabe also defended the ICIG whistleblower, who reportedly filed a complaint over a “promise” that Trump made in a phone call with an unidentified foreign leader.

“This president has a history of treating classified information and sensitive information questionably at best,” McCabe said. “The fact that we now know it was the president and we know it involved some sort of a promise to a world leader is deeply concerning.”

He said the ICIG whistleblower displayed “incredible courage.”

“It is hard to stand up to an administration, to stand up, particularly to this administration and this president and to live up to those responsibilities in a way that you know would engender all sorts of criticism and controversy around your personal life,” McCabe said. “This is something, of course, that I know all too well.”