The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday he feels the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe may be justified, contrary to his party’s messaging in the last two days.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on ABC’s “This Week” said he’s waiting to see more information on McCabe’s dismissal before making an ultimate judgment. Democrats and ex-intelligence officials have roundly criticized the decision by Attorney General Jeff Sessions — seen as imposed by President Trump — to fire McCabe two days before his pension would have vested.
“You know, his firing may be justified,” Schiff said.
“There’s no way for us to know at this point, but even though it may have been justified, it can also be tainted. And I think the president’s badgering of the attorney general, his urging that he be fired before his pension could vest, and the fact that McCabe and every other of the James Comey associates … who corroborate James Comey on the issue of potential obstruction of justice, every one of them has been targeted by the administration, by the Republicans and Congress. And is this because they corroborate James Comey? That’s a question we also have to answer.”
Schiff has been an outspoken critic of Trump and a staunch defender of the intelligence community during Trump’s time in office.
