Crowdfunding campaign for sacked former FBI director Andrew McCabe smashes $370k target in 14 hours

'The support for Mr. McCabe has been overwhelming, humbling, and deeply appreciated'

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and his family pictured on the gofundme page

A fundraising campaign to cover the legal bills of sacked former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe has smashed its target to hit $370,000 (£260,000) in just 14 hours.

The page set up by the “Friends of Andrew McCabe” has already received more than 8,700 donations including some as high as $3,000.

“The response to this effort has been remarkable and beyond our expectations,” said the organisers.

Mr McCabe was fired by Donald Trump’s attorney general Jeff Sessions less than two days before his expected retirement after more than 20 years service.

President Trump, who previously fired Mr McCabe’s boss James Comey, described the sacking as “a great day for Democracy“ on Twitter.

Mr McCabe was accused of making improperly authorised disclosures to a journalist about FBI investigations into Hillary Clinton and misleading investigators.

He claims he was sacked because he is a witness in the ongoing Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

His dismissal put his pension and healthcare benefits in jeopardy and he still faces an investigation by the Officer of the Inspector General as well as congressional inquiries and potential lawsuits.

The money raised on GoFundMe will only be used to defend the allegations against him and anything remaining will be donated to charity, according to the campaign.

“The support for Mr McCabe has been overwhelming, humbling, and deeply appreciated,” the campaign said.

“He and his family continue to deal with the very public and extended humiliation that the Administration, and the President personally, have inflicted on them over the past year.

“Unfortunately, the need for a legal defense fund is a growing reality.”

The campaign described Mr McCabe’s sacking as “completely unjustified, amidst repeated ad hominem attacks by the President of the United States.”

Mr McCabe’s legal team is being led by former Department of Justice inspector general Michael Bromwich.