McCabe says Republicans 'mischaracterized' testimony to bolster Nunes memo
Source: The Hill
BY JOHN BOWDEN - 03/16/18 11:48 PM EDT
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on Friday accused Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee of having "mischaracterized" his testimony used to bolster a controversial memo alleging surveillance abuses by FBI and Justice Department officials.
McCabe, who was fired Friday as the No. 2 FBI official, told CNN that information from an opposition research dossier on President Trump's ties to Russia did not comprise the "majority" of information for the FBI's request to obtain a surveillance warrant on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
"We started the investigations without the dossier. We were proceeding with the investigations before we ever received that information," McCabe told CNN. "Was the dossier material important to the package? Of course, it was. As was every fact included in that package. Was it the majority of what was in the package? Absolutely not."
A memo released by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee in early February said McCabe told the committee that "no surveillance warrant would have been sought" were it not for the information from the dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. The memo said the dossier information was "essential" in acquiring the warrants to monitor Page.
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/378901-mccabe-blasts-house-intel-republicans-over-nunes-memo