Graham: McCabe revelations ‘beyond stunning’

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday pledged to thoroughly investigate comments from Andrew McCabe after the former FBI deputy director told “60 Minutes” that Justice Department officials discussed a plan to potentially remove President Trump from office.

“We’re going to find out what happened here and the only way I know to find out is to call the people in under oath and find out, through questioning, who’s telling the truth because the underlying accusation is beyond stunning,” Graham said on “Face the Nation.”

Graham, the chairman the of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reiterated that he intends to subpoena McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to testify before the panel if they won’t agree to do so voluntarily.

{mosads}The senator downplayed the notion that an investigation into the FBI will further damage the bureau’s credibility.

“There is no organization beyond scrutiny,” he said. “There is no organization that can’t withstand scrutiny. And the FBI will come out stronger.”

“But we’ve got to get to the bottom of it,” he continued. “What are people to think after they watch ’60 Minutes’ when they hear this accusation by the acting deputy — acting FBI director that the deputy attorney general encouraged him to try to find ways to count votes to replace the president? That can’t go unaddressed.”

CBS News reported that McCabe said in a “60 Minutes” interview that there were conversations among Justice Department officials about the possibility of removing Trump via the 25th Amendment, and that Rosenstein had offered to wear a wire around the president.

The Justice Department issued a statement in response reiterating Rosenstein’s denial of the claim calling McCabe’s account “inaccurate and factually incorrect.”

The discussions had previously been reported by The New York Times.

McCabe has since walked back his remarks, with a spokesperson issuing a statement that he did not “participate in any extended discussions about the use of the 25th Amendment, nor is he aware of any such discussions.”