Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe loses effort to avoid criminal charges from Justice Department – CNBC, CNBC

McCabe last monthsued the Justice Department over his firing, claiming it was “politically motivated and retaliatory.”

Trump has repeatedly criticized McCabe, whom he has blamed, along with Comey, for what he has called a baseless investigation into whether Trump’s campaign conspired with Russians to affect the outcome of the 2016 presidential election .

In late August, McCabejoined CNN as a contributor to the cable news network.

CNN did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on Thursday.

Also last month,the Justice Department inspector general’s officesaid Comey violated department and FBI policies, as well as his employment agreement, in his handling of memos documenting conversations with Trump.

But Comey – who Trump fired in May 2017 after allegedly pressuring the FBI chief to drop an investigation into Trump former national security adviser Michael Flynn – is not being prosecuted for the alleged violations detailed in the scathing IG report.

The report focused on Comey’s “disclosure of sensitive investigative information and handling of certain memoranda,” which included how he created, stored and handled seven memos detailing “one-to-one” interactions with Trump between January and April 2017.