Judicial Watch: New Documents Show FBI Deputy Director McCabe Did Not Recuse Himself From the Clinton Email Scandal Investigation Until Week Before Presidential Election
His Wife's Campaign Received $700,000 from Clinton Friends
Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5172
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch today released Justice Department records showing that FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe did not recuse himself from the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's unsecure, non-government email server until Tuesday, November 1, 2016, one week prior to the presidential election. The Clinton email probe was codenamed "Midyear Exam."
While working as Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office, McCabe controlled resources supporting the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's email scandal. An October 2016 internal FBI memorandum labeled "Overview of Deputy Director McCabe's Recusal Related To Dr. McCabe's Campaign for Political Office," details talking points about McCabe's various potential conflicts of interest, including the FBI's investigation of Clinton's illicit server, which officially began in July 2015:
While at [Washington Field Office] did Mr. McCabe provide assistance to the Clinton investigation?
After the referral was made, FBI Headquarters asked the Washington Field Office for personnel to conduct a special investigation. McCabe was serving as [Assistant Director] and provided personnel resources. However, he was not told what the investigation was about. In February 2016 McCabe became Deputy Director and began overseeing the Clinton investigation.
The Overview also shows if asked whether McCabe played any role in his wife's campaign, the scripted response was: "No. Then-[Assistant Director] McCabe played no role, attended no events and did not participate in fundraising or support of any kind."
In June 2017, Circa reported that social media photos showed "McCabe wearing a T-shirt supporting his wife's campaign during a public event and then posting a photo on social media urging voters to join him in voting for his wife." The Justice Department IG is investigating whether McCabe properly disclosed payments to his wife's campaign on his ethics report, as well as possible Hatch Act violations.
The Overview attempts to deflect concerns regarding the timing of the announcement of Mrs. McCabe's candidacy in mid-March 2015, fast on the heels of Clinton's illicit server becoming public knowledge.
The news that Clinton used a private email server broke March 2, 2015. Five days later, former Clinton Foundation board member and Democrat party fundraiser, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe met with the McCabes to recruit her for a run for the state Senate. She announced her candidacy on March 12. Soon afterward, McAuliffe-aligned political groups donated nearly $700,000 (40% of the campaign's total funds) to McCabe's wife for her campaign. Around that time, Gov. McAuliffe would also come under criminal investigation by the FBI.
An April 29, 2015, document titled "Protocol regarding Potential Conflicts of Interest" sent from the Washington Field Office to various FBI officials – and self-approved by McCabe – indicates that he was "consulting with individuals within the Washington Field Office and [FBI headquarters]" prior to the announcement of his wife's political campaign:
MORE: www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-new-documents-show-fbi-deputy-director-mccabe-not-recuse-clinton-email-scandal-investigation-week-presidential-election/