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WASHINGTON -- Andrew McCabe, the onetime FBI deputy director long scorned by President Donald Trump and just fired by the attorney general, kept personal memos regarding Trump that are similar to the notes compiled by dismissed FBI chief James Comey detailing interactions with him, The Associated Press has learned.
It was not immediately clear whether any of McCabe's memos have been turned over to special counsel Robert Mueller, whose criminal investigation is examining Trump campaign ties to Russia and possible obstruction of justice, or been requested by Mueller.
McCabe's memos include details of interactions with the president, among other topics, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation who wasn't authorized to discuss the memos publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The disclosure Saturday came hours after Trump called McCabe's firing by Attorney General Jeff Sessions as a "a great day for Democracy." Sessions, on the recommendation of FBI disciplinary officials, acted two days before McCabe's scheduled retirement date.
McCabe suggested the move was part of the Trump administration's "war on the FBI." Trump tweeted in praise of Sessions' announcement Friday night, asserting without elaboration that McCabe "knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels off the FBI!"
Later, Trump claimed there was "tremendous leaking, lying and corruption" atop the FBI, and departments of State of Justice, but offered no evidence.
An upcoming inspector general's report is expected to conclude that McCabe, a Comey confidant, authorized the release of information to the media and was not forthcoming with the watchdog office as it examined the bureau's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
"The FBI expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity and accountability," Sessions said in a statement.
McCabe said his credibility had been attacked as "part of a larger effort not just to slander me personally" but also the FBI and law enforcement.
"It is part of this administration's ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the special counsel investigation, which continue to this day," he added, referring to Robert Mueller's probe into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. "Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the special counsel's work."
Trump's personal lawyer, John Dowd, cited the "brilliant and courageous example" by Sessions and the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility and said in a statement Saturday that the No. 2 Justice Department official, Rod Rosenstein, should "bring an end" to the Russia investigation "manufactured" by Comey.
Dowd told the AP that he neither was calling on Rosenstein, the deputy attorney government overseeing Mueller's inquiry, to fire the special counsel immediately nor had discussed with Rosenstein the idea of dismissing Mueller or ending the probe.
McCabe asserted he was singled out because of the "role I played, the actions I took, and the events I witnessed in the aftermath" of Comey's firing last May. McCabe became acting director after that and assumed direct oversight of the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign.
Mueller is investigating whether Trump's actions, including Comey's ouster, constitute obstruction of justice. McCabe could be an important witness.
Trump, in a Tweet early Saturday, said McCabe's firing was "a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI -- A great day for Democracy." He said "Sanctimonious James Comey," as McCabe's boss, made McCabe "look like a choirboy."
McCabe said the release of the findings against him was accelerated after he told congressional officials that he could corroborate Comey's accounts of Comey's conversations with the president.
McCabe spent more than 20 years as a career FBI official and played key roles in some of the bureau's most recent significant investigations. Trump repeatedly condemned him over the past year as emblematic of an FBI leadership he contends is biased against his administration.
McCabe had been on leave from the FBI since January, when he abruptly left the deputy director position. He had planned to retire on Sunday, and the dismissal probably jeopardizes his ability to collect his full pension benefits.