The FBI said in documents released Friday that Deputy Director Andrew McCabe did not have any role in the probe into Hillary Clinton’s private email server while his wife ran as a Democrat for state office in Virginia.
The documents note that Jill McCabe announced her candidacy for state Senate in Virginia in March 2015, while Andrew McCabe’s role as deputy director started in February 2016, three months after his wife lost her electoral bid.
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Andrew McCabe had asked ethics officials if his wife’s candidacy would lead to a potential conflict of interest while he was working as an assistant director at the FBI Field Office in Washington, D.C., the documents show.
“From the first contemplation that his wife would run for office in Virginia, [McCabe] sought out and consulted with ethics officers, which included briefings on the Hatch Act,” the records state.
A “system of recusal” was also put in place to prevent any potential conflicts of interests, according to the documents.
The release of the documents comes after President Trump and other Republicans have claimed McCabe had a conflict of interest due to his wife’s electoral bid, noting that her campaign was supported by a super-PAC associated to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), a Clinton ally.
“How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin’ James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife’s campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?” Trump tweeted last month.
Trump’s tweet and others he sent targeting the No. 2 FBI official amid the federal Russia probe came after it was revealed McCabe would be retiring from his post in the coming months.
Trump interviewed McCabe to be FBI director in May after he fired James Comey from the top post. The president ultimately tapped Christopher Wray for the bureau’s top spot.