FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe

By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com

CNN has hired ex-FBI acting director Andrew McCabe as a contributor,  the network announced Friday.

The news triggered sharp criticism from conservatives, including President Trump’s eldest son and a representative of Trump’s reelection campaign, the Washington Post reports.

McCabe authorized an investigation into Trump and alleged ties to Russia and possible obstruction of justice. He was fired in March 2018 after the Justice Department inspector general found that he made an unauthorized disclosure to the media and lied to investigators about it, Post writes.

McCabe is suing the FBI and Justice Department, saying he was wrongfully discharged.

REMINDER: Andrew McCabe was fired by the FBI for leaking and getting caught lying about it.

ANOTHER REMINDER: @CNN ceased being a “news organization” a long time ago. They’re now a fully integrated anti-Trump propaganda network and they don’t even try hiding it anymore. https://t.co/LiDCq813lJ

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 23, 2019

Andrew Meehan

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

Andrew Meehan, a spokesman and top aide to Homeland Secretary Kevin McAleenan, is reportedly leaving the Trump administration over trust issues.

Meehan became acting assistant secretary of public affairs just four months ago to serve with former CBP boss, McAleenan, who promoted to acting secretary in April.

The White House had become frustrated with Meehan’s strategy in rolling out policy changes and his timing on announcements, Axios reports.

“Meehan, who was in Panama in advance of the secretary’s visit during the Flores rollout, made the decision to leave government a couple of weeks ago,” a senior DHS official told Axios.

Homeland Security and White House officials had not responded to questions about Meehan’s departure as of Thursday night.

U.S. Capitol

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

House Democrats are questioning why Trump’s administration “is failing to address white supremacist, extremist violence” as domestic terrorism is on the rise.

Consider this: All race-based domestic terrorism in 2018 was committed by alleged white supremacists. When the Department of Homeland Security wanted to increase its focus on domestic terrorism, the White House intervened and rejected the idea.

So alarmed by the surge in white supremacist violence, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress in July that “a majority of domestic terrorism cases are motivated by some version of what you might call white supremacist violence.”

So why does it appear Trump’s administration is not taking the threat seriously?

In a letter to the leadership of the FBI and Homeland Security, 65 House Democrats said white supremacy must be met with a “vigorous, systemic and coordinated response.”

“We are concerned that the Trump administration is jeopardizing our national security by failing to take domestic terrorism seriously,” the letter reads. “In particular, this administration is failing to address white supremacist extremist violence, the leading cause of domestic terrorism.”

The letter adds, “It is unacceptable that political interference from the White House should prevent domestic terrorism from receiving the elevated level of focus it deserves, especially following recent, high profile terrorist attacks.”