Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Andrew George McCabeGraham: Comey to testify about FBI's Russia probe, Mueller declined invitation Barr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' GOP votes to authorize subpoenas, depositions in Obama-era probe MORE on Monday warned that if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE is fired or resigns, it would put special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's investigation at risk.

"If the rumors of Deputy AG's [sic] Rosenstein's departure are true, I am deeply concerned that it puts that investigation at risk," McCabe said in a statement about the top DOJ official overseeing the Mueller probe.

McCabe emphasized that it is imperative for Mueller's investigation to be able to continue unimpeded.

ADVERTISEMENT

"There is nothing more important to the integrity of law enforcement and the rule of law than protecting the investigation of Special Counsel Mueller," McCabe's statement continues. "I sacrificed personally and professionally to help put the investigation on a proper course and subsequently made every effort to protect it."

Conflicting reports about whether Rosenstein would be fired or resign emerged on Monday morning, with some outlets reporting that he has either verbally resigned and others that say he will refuse to step down but expected to be fired.

Questions about Rosenstein's job security exploded after The New York Times published a bombshell story on Friday that said the deputy attorney general had spoken to other officials about wearing a wire to record the president.

The story also said Rosenstein had discussed the possibility of Cabinet officials invoking the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office last year. Rosenstein and the Justice Department fiercely disputed the story.

“The New York Times’s story is inaccurate and factually incorrect,” Rosenstein said in a statement issued by the Justice Department. “I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the department and are advancing their own personal agenda."

ADVERTISEMENT

"But let me be clear about this: Based on my personal dealings with the president, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment,” he added.

In his statement on Monday, McCabe denied providing "information of any kind to the media" about events following FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE's firing. The story about Rosenstein offering to wear a wire to a meeting with Trump was thought to be based in part on memos written by McCabe after Comey's firing.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE fired McCabe earlier this year after an internal investigation found that McCabe had made improper disclosures to the press and that he "lacked candor" in discussing the matter afterward with investigators.