The former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe gave a much-touted interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired on the 17th of February 2019, during which he provided details on the obstruction of justice probe, the aftermath of the firing of his boss, the former FBI Director James Comey; in addition to the steps he took to ensure that all the evidence was protected.

UPDATE ON 2/19/19: During recent TV news interviews, Mr. McCabe has gone on the record stating that the FBI had informed on a bipartisan basis, eight leaders in the US Congress about his investigation into President Trump, and no one objected to it. One of those present was the GOP US House Intel chair, Rep. Devin Nunes, which means that President was informed almost in real time. This could explain President Trump’s animus towards Andrew McCabe on a very personal level.

See Guardian video: Andrew McCabe claims Trump believed Putin over US intelligence …

Mr. McCabe was fired in March 2018 by the then DOJ Department of Justice Jeff Sessions for having allegedly released information to the media without authorization, with the claim that he had “lacked candor” when discussing it. His case was referred to the US attorney’s office for for further action but so far, nothing has been done regarding this referral. Mr. McCabe has denied having intentionally lied and he’s convinced that his firing was politically motivated.

I’m inclined to believe the word of this 21 year FBI veteran but there are those who will discount his word based on the president’s attacks on his character. Please take time to view the entire CBS interview so that you can decide whether to believe Mr. McCabe or not.

See a favorite source on all things legal, Lawfare: Thoughts on Andrew McCabe’s 60 Minutes Interview

What I found to be the most alarming detail  gleaned from the CBS interview, has to do with  the republican President Donald Trump consistently choosing to believe the intel that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin discussed with him over whatever the US Intelligence Community officials shared with him.

That GOP US Congressional lawmakers continue to back this president with his recently having invoked the National Emergencies Act of 1976 on the basis of a made-up immigration crisis at the US southern border; and that he consistently implements foreign policy decisions while relying on Russian intel, tells me, that they are willingly wearing blinders as they fail in their duty to protect this country and its peoples. They are at another crossroads where they can change course in a better direction or they can choose to stay the course, where they go down with a sinking ship.

Here’s the rest of the story…

1. Trump trusted Putin over US intel agencies

“Though Trump’s affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin is well known, McCabe shed some light on the extent to which Trump trusts Putin’s word over that of his own intelligence officers. Trump allegedly went off on rant about how North Korea’s missile launch was a hoax, information he got from Putin that directly contradicts U.S. intelligence reports. “I don’t care. I believe Putin,” Trump said, per McCabe.”

2. Trump’s own actions and statements prompted the obstruction of justice probe

“Statements like “I believe Putin” made McCabe so concerned about the President’s motivation that he ordered intelligence officers to launch a probe into possible obstruction of justice.”

Link to entire report: 5 Most Eye-Opening Insights From McCabe’s CBS Interview

On February 17, 2019, Kate Lyons of the Guardian penned the following report, “I believe Putin’: Trump dismissed US advice on North Korea, says McCabe” (“Former FBI chief says president believed Russian leader over US security agencies and ‘a crime may have been committed’ over Comey firing”)

Excerpts:

“A former FBI acting director has alleged Donald Trump dismissed advice from his own security agencies on the threat posed by North Korea’s missiles, saying “I don’t care. I believe Putin.”

“Andrew McCabe made the claims in an interview with 60 Minutes, in which he discussed his tenure at the FBI after James Comey was fired by the president in 2017.”

“McCabe said Trump made the comments in a meeting about the weapons capability of North Korea. McCabe was not in the meeting with Trump and said his FBI colleague told him about it later.”

“The president launched into several unrelated diatribes. One of those was commenting on the recent missile launches by the government of North Korea. And, essentially, the president said he did not believe that the North Koreans had the capability to hit us here with ballistic missiles in the US. And he did not believe that because President Putin had told him they did not. President Putin had told him that the North Koreans don’t actually have those missiles,” said McCabe.”

60 Minutes

✔@60Minutes

“I don’t care. I believe Putin,” Pres Trump allegedly said, rejecting U.S. intelligence regarding North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile capability. McCabe says he heard this from an FBI official who was at the meeting with POTUS. https://cbsn.ws/2Ef6tCq 

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7:21 PM – Feb 17, 2019

“Intelligence officials in the briefing responded that that was not consistent with any of the intelligence our government possesses,” said McCabe in the interview. “To which the president replied, ‘I don’t care. I believe Putin.’”

“McCabe said he was shocked when he found about the president’s alleged comments. “It’s just an astounding thing to say,” said McCabe, who added he was surprised at the dismissal of the work of his intelligence community.”

“To be confronted with an absolute disbelief in those efforts and an unwillingness to learn the true state of affairs that he has to deal with every day was just shocking,” said McCabe.

“McCabe also alleged a “crime may have been committed” when Trump fired the head of the FBI and tried to publicly undermine an investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia.”

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump

Disgraced FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe pretends to be a “poor little Angel” when in fact he was a big part of the Crooked Hillary Scandal & the Russia Hoax – a puppet for Leakin’ James Comey. I.G. report on McCabe was devastating. Part of “insurance policy” in case I won….

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9:39 AM – Feb 14, 2019

“Disgraced FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe pretends to be a “poor little Angel” when in fact he was a big part of the Crooked Hillary Scandal & the Russia Hoax – a puppet for Leakin’ James Comey. I.G. report on McCabe was devastating,” he wrote on Twitter. “McCabe is a disgrace to the FBI and a disgrace to our Country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

“McCabe also told 60 Minutes the FBI had good reason to open a counter-intelligence investigation into whether Trump was in league with Russia, and therefore a possible national security threat, following Comey’s dismissal in May 2017.”

“And the idea is, if the president committed obstruction of justice, fired the director of the of the FBI to negatively impact or to shut down our investigation of Russia’s malign activity and possibly in support of his campaign, as a counterintelligence investigator you have to ask yourself, ‘Why would a president of the US do that?’” McCabe said.”

“He added: “So all those same sorts of facts cause us to wonder is there an inappropriate relationship, a connection between this president and our most fearsome enemy, the government of Russia?”

“Asked whether deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein was onboard with the obstruction and counterintelligence investigations, McCabe replied: “Absolutely.”

“McCabe also said that when Trump told Rosenstein to put in writing his concerns about Comey – a document the White House initially held up as justification for his firing – the president explicitly asked him to refer to Russia.”

“Rosenstein did not want to, McCabe said, and the memo that was made public upon Comey’s dismissal did not mention Russia.”

Link to entire report: I believe Putin‘: Trump dismissed US advice on North Korea threat …