FBI boss Andrew McCabe quits after campaign of Trump carping

Deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe abruptly departed his job yesterday following months of criticism from Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump speaks during the swearing-in ceremony for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Picture: AFP.

Deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe abruptly departed his job yesterday following months of criticism from Donald Trump about his family links to the ­Democrats and questions over his impartiality.

The move followed a meeting between Mr McCabe, 49, and FBI director Christopher Wray over the interim findings of an internal investigation into Mr McCabe’s handing of probes into Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The timing suggests Mr Wray may have had concerns about Mr McCabe’s oversight of those investigations — an issue the President has questioned.

The move appeared to take the White House by surprise but it will be welcomed by Mr Trump.

Mr McCabe told FBI colleagues yesterday it would be his last day after more than 20 years at the agency. He was expected to retire in March, but decided to leave earlier for reasons he did not ­publicly disclose.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said “the President wasn’t a part of the decision-­making process”.

Before yesterday’s announcement, Mr McCabe had been under pressure on several fronts.

Mr Trump had questioned his impartiality because his wife, Jill McCabe, ran as a Democrat for a Virginia state Senate seat in 2015 using almost $US500,000 in funds from a political action committee controlled by the then Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, a close friend of Democrat presidential contender Mrs Clinton.

Last week, it was revealed that Mr Trump asked Mr McCabe who he voted for in a May meeting shortly after the President had fired then FBI director James Comey.

Mr McCabe replied that he did not vote, but told colleagues he found the President’s question “disturbing”.

Ms McCabe’s failed Senate run was over by the time he became deputy director. However, critics have asked why Mr McCabe, after being appointed FBI deputy in February 2016, went on to oversee the investigation into Mrs Clinton’s alleged misuse of a private email server and a separate probe into donations to the Clinton Foundation.

Mr McCabe was deputy director when the FBI decided to begin the Russia probe in July 2016. Only in October 2016 did Mr McCabe recused himself from the Clinton probes. The conduct of Mr McCabe and other senior FBI officials in 2016 is the subject of an ­investigation by the Justice ­Department’s inspector-general.

Last month, Mr Trump tweeted: “How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin’ James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife’s campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?”

Mr Wray sent a message to other FBI personnel yesterday saying he followed procedures, not politics, in his approach to the role as FBI director.

“My conviction to adhering to process is similarly matched by my conviction to holding people ­accountable,’’ Mr Wray wrote.

“I remain staunchly ‘by the book’.

“After discussions with our deputy director Andy McCabe, he submitted his intention to retire on March 18. I’m very grateful to Andy for his years of dedicated, selfless and brave service to the FBI and the American people.’’

In his own message to FBI staff, Mr McCabe said he was retiring “with great sadness”.

“You have the greatest mission on earth, protecting the American people and upholding the American constitution ... You speak up, you tell the truth and you do the right thing. Thank you for your service, your support, and your friendship.’’

Mr Trump has repeatedly ­described the Russia investigation as a hoax perpetrated by the Dem­ocrats as an excuse for Mrs Clinton’s defeat.

Mr McCabe’s departure comes at a time when the FBI is under pressure from perceptions of bias. Special Counsel Robert Mueller was forced to remove an FBI agent from the Russia probe after learning that the investigator had criticised Mr Trump in numerous text messages to a colleague.

The agent, Peter Strzok, also led the investigation into Mrs Clinton’s misuse of her private email server.

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia