Top Republicans are calling for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the firing of Federal Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, to ensure that his dismissal was not “politically motivated.”
On Monday, Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) said he would support a hearing on the reports from the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility and Office of Inspector General that led to Attorney General Jeff Sessions‘ decision to fire McCabe. Last week, Sessions cited the reports’ findings that McCabe had lied about leaking information to the media, and that the FBI official “lacked candor—including under oath—on multiple occasions.”
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union over the weekend, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), voiced his support for a hearing. “I think we owe it to the average American to have a hearing in the Judiciary Committee, where Mr. Sessions, Attorney General Sessions, comes forward with whatever documentation he has about the firing, and give Mr. McCabe a chance to defend himself,” Graham said. “I believe, when it comes to this issue, we need as much transparency as possible to make sure it wasn’t politically motivated.”
McCabe himself has said that his firing is part of the Trump administrations efforts to discredit him, the FBI, and the special counsel’s investigation as it becomes clearer that Robert Mueller is building a case against President Donald Trump for obstruction of justice.
