Wash Post: Prosecutors Interview James Comey About Former FBI Official Andrew McCabe

Federal investigators have interviewed former FBI director James B. Comey as part of a probe into whether his former deputy, Andrew McCabe, broke the law by lying to federal agents, according to the Washington Post. 

The interview signals that the office is seriously considering whether McCabe should be charged with a crime, a person familiar with the matter told the Post.

McCabe was accused in April of misleading investigators and Comey four times — three of them under oath — about authorizing a disclosure to the media. Horowitz referred the findings to the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

McCabe could be looking a five-year sentence for lying to federal investigators. But he disputes that he intentionally misled anyone, the Post reports. Comey’s interview, the paper stressed, does not indicate prosecutors have reached any conclusions. A referral from the inspector general does not guarantee charges will be filed.

McCabe has said that Comey knew that he authorized the disclosures to the media. But Comey has disputed that claim, and has said that he could be a witness against McCabe if the investigation resulted in criminal charges and a trial.

McCabe's attorney Michael Bromwich told the Post that he was confident that the U.S. Attorney's Office would ultimately conclude that McCabe had done nothing wrong.

“A little more than a month ago, we confirmed that we had been advised that a criminal referral to the U.S. Attorney’s Office had been made regarding Mr. McCabe," he said.

"We said at that time that we were confident that, unless there is inappropriate pressure from high levels of the Administration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would conclude that it should decline to prosecute. Our view has not changed.”

Bromwich also described the "leaks concerning specific investigative steps" taken by the U.S. Attorney's Office "extremely disturbing."