Trump lashes out at FBI, State and Justice Departments for "leaking, lying and corruption"
At home at the White House with no scheduled public events on Saturday, President Trump lashed out at the FBI, State Department and the Department of Justice for "leaking, lying and corruption." and blasted the now-fired former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe.
Mr. Trump, appears vindicated by the claim from some Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee that they found no evidence of collusion between his campaign and Russians and pleased that Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe late Friday, spent some of his Saturday tweeting about those events. Mr. Trump had already called McCabe's firing a "great day for Democracy," and alleging that "sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy," saying Comey knew "all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!" McCabe was fired after FBI officials recommended that, with an upcoming DOJ Inspector General report expected to criticize McCabe.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump's personal lawyer, John Dowd, suggested that deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should follow Sessions' lead and "end" special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
On a chilly, overcast Saturday in Washington, D.C., Mr. Trump claimed "many are finding out" about corruption at his agencies, including the State Department. This week's staff shakeups also included the ouster of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, although it's not immediately clear why Mr. Trump included the State Department.
As the House Intelligence Committee has concluded, there was no collusion between Russia and the Trump Campaign. As many are now finding out, however, there was tremendous leaking, lying and corruption at the highest levels of the FBI, Justice & State. #DrainTheSwamp
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2018
Mr. Trump, who has long criticized McCabe over his wife's acceptance of $500,000 in campaign donations for a failed statehouse race from former Virginia governor and Hillary Clinton ally Terry McAuliffe, did so again on Saturday.
The Fake News is beside themselves that McCabe was caught, called out and fired. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars was given to wife’s campaign by Crooked H friend, Terry M, who was also under investigation? How many lies? How many leaks? Comey knew it all, and much more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2018
Comey, who will soon release a book on leadership and his time at the FBI, said the American people will "hear my story very soon" and "can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not."
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
John Brennan, former head of the CIA, also criticized the president, saying he will someday take his place as a "disgraced demagogue."
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