President Donald Trump's attorney John Dowd is calling for the end of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian election meddling.
"I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and bring an end to alleged Russia collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe's boss James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt dossier," Dowd told CNN in a statement, reacting to the news of former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe's firing.
Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, is overseeing the Russia investigation after Sessions recused himself from the probe last year.
Dowd told CNN he was speaking on his own behalf, although he had earlier told the Daily Beast, which first reported the statement, that he was speaking on behalf of the President. Dowd's comment wasn't authorized by the President, a person close to the Trump told CNN.
Dowd later added to his statement, saying of the investigation: "Just end it on the merits in light of recent revelations."
Mueller is currently investigating any ties between Trump campaign associates and Russia during the 2016 election.
On Friday evening, the Justice Department announced that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had fired McCabe just days before he was set to receive his pension.
McCabe had been regularly taunted by Trump and besieged by accusations that he had misled internal investigators at the Justice Department.
However, he denied those allegations in a statement Friday night.
"This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort not just to slander me personally, but to taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally," McCabe said. "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. Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the Special Counsel's work."
