Ex-Top FBI official says he began probes of Trump

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said in remarks aired Thursday that he started obstruction of justice and counterintelligence investigations into U.S. President Donald Trump soon after the president ousted McCabe's boss, James Comey.

McCabe said he ordered the probes the day after Comey was fired during a meeting with the FBI team probing matters related to Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential race.

"I was very concerned that I was able to put the Russia case on absolutely solid ground in an indelible fashion, that were I removed quickly or reassigned or fired, that the case could not be closed or vanish in the night without a trace," McCabe said in excerpts of a 60 Minutes interview set to air Sunday.

McCabe said he wanted to ensure that in the case of his removal from office whoever succeeded him as the top FBI official "would not be able to do that without creating a record of why they made that decision."

Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed eight days after Comey was fired, a development Trump continues to blame on his since fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from matters involving Russia.

McCabe was fired last March from the bureau where he had served for more than two decades just a day before he could retire with a full pension. McCabe insists he was removed as a political attack from Trump.

Shortly after the 60 Minutes clip aired, the president lashed out, saying McCabe "pretends to be a 'poor little Angel.’”

"McCabe is a disgrace to the FBI and a disgrace to our Country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" he wrote on Twitter.

The former acting FBI director is set to release a book, The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump, which details his time in the bureau, next week.