Senior Federal Prosecutor Fired Amid Disagreement Over Comey Re-Indictment
A senior federal prosecutor in Virginia was terminated following a disagreement over leading the re-indictment of James B. Comey in the Trump administration's initiative. Robert K. McBride, who had recently joined the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, was relieved of his duties. This incident is part of the ongoing fallout within the Justice Department regarding President Trump's actions against Mr. Comey, whom he holds responsible for previous investigations. Mr. McBride had been serving as the top deputy to Lindsey Halligan, who was appointed as the U.S. attorney for that office through an unconventional process deemed unlawful by a judge. The administration sought to revive the Comey case and wanted Mr. McBride to lead the effort, but he declined due to his role as the first assistant U.S. attorney.
The decision to dismiss Mr. McBride was reportedly due to his refusal to take on the Comey prosecution while managing the prosecutor's office. However, another source claimed that he was fired for allegedly meeting with judges in the district without authorization to lobby for his appointment as U.S. attorney. Additionally, it was suggested that Mr. McBride resisted pursuing immigration-related investigations and drug enforcement activities. Despite conflicting explanations, the Justice Department supported the termination. It is not uncommon for U.S. attorney's office leaders to engage with judges, especially given the circumstances surrounding Ms. Halligan's appointment.
This situation is still evolving, and further updates may follow. Julie Tate conducted research for this report, while Devlin Barrett and Alan Feuer covered the Justice Department and extremism-related topics for The Times, respectively.