Numerous former “Deep State” operatives, politicians, and media figures united behind former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on Twitter in the wake of his termination Friday night.
Former CIA Director John Brennan sent an ominous tweet Saturday calling Trump a “disgraced demagogue” who will eventually land “in the dustbin of history.”
When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America…America will triumph over you. https://t.co/uKppoDbduj
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) March 17, 2018
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power lauded Brennan’s tweet, then posted one of her own relating an African proverb to McCabe’s firing — “The axe forgets; the tree remembers.”
Not a good idea to piss off John Brennan. https://t.co/VLg94OLL2R
— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) March 17, 2018
“The axe forgets; the tree remembers.” – African proverb https://t.co/6By4igIIW5
— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) March 17, 2018
Obama-era former Attorney General Eric Holder was also critical of the decision, calling it “dangerous.”
Analyze McCabe firing on two levels: the substance and the timing. We don’t know enough about the substance yet. The timing appears cruel and a cave that compromised DOJ independence to please an increasingly erratic President who should’ve played no role here. This is dangerous
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) March 17, 2018
Obama-appointed former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called President Trump’s Friday night tweet lauding McCabe’s firing “lawsuit Exhibit A.”
This is called lawsuit Exhibit A https://t.co/DbR8HtIr5g
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 17, 2018
But not before telling the president to “butt out” and calling Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who fired McCabe, the “weakest and most craven Attorney General in modern times.”
Butt out. For once. For the country. For yourself too. https://t.co/DbR8HtIr5g
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 17, 2018
Once upon a time I thought Alberto Gonzales was the weakest and most craven Attorney General in modern times. I was wrong.
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 17, 2018
Former F.B.I. Director James Comey responded to Trump’s tweet as well, but only to the part referring to him.
Mr. President, the American people will hear my story very soon. And they can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not.
— James Comey (@Comey) March 17, 2018
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow launched into a conspiracy theory about Trump supposedly trying to “discredit” McCabe as a “corroborating witness for Comey’s account of his firing.”
If McCabe is right that these actions against him are intended discredit him as a corroborating witness for Comey’s account of his firing, then the invective and taunting by POTUS have a purpose: make sure McCabe will be seen as having good reason to hold a grudge vs POTUS.
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 17, 2018
The same logic applies to Comey and all the other corroborating witnesses. The more they’re mistreated (unjustly maligned, randomly demoted, etc) by POTUS, the more “biased” vs the President they will be made to seem.
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 17, 2018
Incidentally, that’s part of why witnesses are supposed to be protected. It’s not just about their physical safety, it’s also about treatment of them (by parties related to the matter they witnessed) that’s designed to queer the case.
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) March 17, 2018
MSNBC host Nicholle Wallace called the firing a “complete disgrace.”
The fix was in from Donald Trump when he tweeted 90 days ago his threat about McCabe’s pension. This is a complete disgrace. Sure to exacerbate concerns among “the generals” about his conduct in office.
— Nicolle Wallace (@NicolleDWallace) March 17, 2018
California Rep. Eric Swalwell tweeted a message to the president about who “will be fired soon.”
Gloat now, but you will be fired soon. And it’s not going to be done cowardly, as you’ve done to so many who’ve served you. There’s a storm gathering, Mr. President, and it’s going to wipe out you and your corrupt organization all the way down to the studs. https://t.co/I0UlNAlwxI
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) March 17, 2018
New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell called it a “disgrace to this country and our law enforcement community.”
McCabe’s dismissal in the dead of night is a disgrace to this country and our law enforcement community. Every day they vandalize our democracy and harm our institutions, and @HouseGOP does nothing. https://t.co/x52aClSvQo
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) March 17, 2018
Some Republicans and Trump supporters have portrayed McCabe as a “deep state” player working behind the scenes to oppose the Trump administration.
Deep State’s Andrew McCabe fired for lying about leaks. But @JudicialWatch caught him red-handed in scandal involving Clinton crony $ for his wife’s campaign. Another reason Clinton email “matter” compromised & should be reopened by @RealDonaldTrump admin. https://t.co/BCEaX1mFQ8 pic.twitter.com/W9ekh7lARa
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) March 17, 2018