Ex-FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe freed of all charges by Justice Department

Former FBI director Andrew McCabe has been relieved of a criminal investigation that was being carried out against him by the Department of Justice. According to reports, McCabe's lawyer received a letter from the Justice Department on Friday that said the case against his client has been closed and no charges will be brought against him.

Earlier, McCabe was sacked by Trump administration on charges that he repeatedly lied about having authorised a subordinate to share information with a newspaper. 

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According to reports, McCabe allegedly shared information about an FBI investigation into the Clinton Foundation that was published in a newspaper in 2016. The case was brought against McCabe with a referral from the Justice Department's inspector general.

McCabe, who has been a frequent target of attacks by Donald Trump had earlier said that his firing was politically motivated for what the Justice Department called "lack of honesty".

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All about the McCabe case

McCabe was fired from his job just 26 hours before his scheduled retirement and the Sessions announced that the decision was based on reports from the Justice Department inspector general and FBI's disciplinary office. He joined the FBI in 1996 and rose through its ranks to become the deputy director in 2016.

After FBI Director James Comey was sacked by President Donald Trump, McCabe was appointed as acting director of FBI and was in the race of becoming the director. Trump ultimately chose Christopher Wray, the former Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Criminal Division, to succeed Comey and McCabe returned to his position of deputy director. 

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According to reports, Trump administration had been pressuring Wray to fire McCabe accusing him of conflicts because of his wife's campaign for state office. Wray reportedly refused to take any action against McCabe and threatened to resign if the latter was removed. McCabe after meeting with his director on January 29, 2018, announced that he was stepping down as deputy director with immediate effect. 

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