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FBI’s Wray Defends Process Behind McCabe Firing

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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FBI Director Christopher Wray gave an exclusive interview to NBC News on Wednesday defending the process used to fire former deputy director Andrew McCabe.

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The FBI’s Office of Personal Responsibility recommended the bureau fire McCabe last week and, several days later, Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the official decision to can him. Some questioned the timing of the decision, as McCabe was ousted just a couple of days before he was set to officially retire from the FBI. (RELATED: Report: FBI Recommends Firing Andrew McCabe) 

However, Wray said that the investigation into McCabe was done independently without political influence.

“I’m committed to doing things objectively and independently and by the book,” Wray asserted. “I think that has to extend not just to our investigations, our intelligence analysis, but it also has to expand to personnel decisions and disciplinary decisions.”

When asked specifically about the timing, Wray reiterated that the FBI followed its normal process.

“I want to be careful what I can say about the process,” he said. “But I will tell you that my commitment to making sure that our process is followed, that it relies on objective input, and that, most importantly, it is not based on political and partisan influence, is something I am utterly unyielding on.”

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