Source: Fired FBI deputy chief facing criminal referral

Washington – The Justice Department’s inspector general has sent a criminal referral about fired FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe to federal prosecutors in Washington.

A person familiar with the matter says the referral was sent to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia. It does not mean McCabe will be charged.

The person was not authorized to discuss a confidential process publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

A report from the watchdog office last week concluded that McCabe had misled investigators and his own boss, then-Director James Comey, about his role in a news media disclosure in October 2016.

McCabe and his lawyer have said he never misled anyone.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office and the inspector general declined to comment Thursday.