WASHINGTON — Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen told former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on Thursday that his appeal against possible criminal charges against him has been rejected, according to a person familiar with the decision.

The rejection may pave the way for an indictment of McCabe, who according to a Justice Department Inspector General’s report made false statements to federal investigators about his disclosure of information to a journalist in 2016.

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McCabe was fired without receiving a pension by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2018 after the IG concluded McCabe “lacked candor” when questioned about the incident.