The FBI report from the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) that served as part of the grounds to fire former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe includes testimony from former FBI Director James Comey that is at odds with public statements McCabe has made, CNN reported Friday.
Comey told Justice Department investigators he couldn't remember McCabe telling him he authorized department officials to speak with the media about an ongoing investigation into the Clinton Foundation, according to sources familiar with the report.
McCabe wrote a lengthy article that appeared in The Washington Post a week after his March 16 firing where he maintained he "did not knowingly mislead or lie to investigators" and claimed he did not leak information to reporters, as has been suggested, but maintained it was within the scope of his position.
"When asked about contacts with a reporter that were fully within my power to authorize as deputy director, and amid the chaos that surrounded me, I answered questions as completely and accurately as I could," McCabe wrote.
McCabe also claimed Comey was aware he had authorized giving the information to the media, stating the night he was fired, "It was not a secret, it took place over several days, and others, including the director, were aware of the interaction with the reporter."
One source said the discrepancy was likely the two men remember the situation differently, crediting both men as acting in "good faith."
"They recall it differently," the source said. "Andy thinks in good faith he told him, and Comey in good faith says he wasn't told … The notion that the two guys are pitted against each other is crazy."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions cited reasons for McCabe's firing was due to internal investigations that alleged the former deputy director displayed a "lack of candor" to congressional investigators and that he had leaked information to the media.
McCabe's lawyer, Michael Bromwich, claimed, "One thing is clear: Mr. McCabe never misled Director Comey" and said he had the emails to back it up, stating McCabe "advised Director Comey that he was working with colleagues at the FBI to correct inaccuracies before the stories were published, and that they remained in contact through the weekend while the interactions with the reporter continued. In short, the evidence falls far short of proving a 'lack of candor.'"
At the time of his firing, Sessions claimed McCabe "lacked candor – including under oath – on multiple occasions." McCabe has maintained that he later corrected earlier information he provided to investigators.
"When I realized that some of my answers were not fully accurate or may have been misunderstood, I took the initiative to correct them. At worst, I was not clear in my responses, and because of what was going on around me may well have been confused and distracted — and for that I take full responsibility. But that is not a lack of candor," McCabe wrote in a statement after his firing.
The new details in the OPR have not been made public, but have been made available to members of Congress to review, another source told CNN.
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