A longtime Democratic staffer on the House Intelligence Committee repeatedly told the FBI starting in 2017 that then-Rep. Adam Schiff had authorized leaking classified information to damage then-President Donald Trump during the discredited Russiagate investigation. This revelation comes from FBI 302 interview reports recently turned over to Congress by former senior Trump official Kash Patel.
The whistleblower, a registered Democrat and self-described friend of both Schiff and former GOP Chairman Devin Nunes, called the leaks “unethical,” “illegal,” and even “treasonous.” He said Schiff and others dismissed his concerns, believing the Constitution’s speech and debate clause would protect them from legal consequences—a legal position with no public endorsement from the Attorney or Solicitor General.
In a 2023 interview with FBI agents in St. Louis, the whistleblower recalled attending a staff meeting where Schiff allegedly stated that the group would leak classified material to damage Trump and build a case to indict him. The staffer objected, but others in the meeting allegedly reassured him they wouldn’t be caught.
The staffer first raised concerns with the FBI in 2017, shortly after Trump took office. However, the Justice Department showed little interest in pursuing the case at the time. Since then, many involved DOJ officials remain in influential positions, raising potential concerns about institutional bias and selective enforcement.
This report emerges as Schiff faces separate legal scrutiny related to a mortgage fraud case. Patel, speaking to Just the News, emphasized that classified leaks were strategically used to influence political narratives and called for Congress and the DOJ to restore accountability and public trust in federal institutions.
The whistleblower also claimed that Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn was specifically targeted by the committee and identified Rep. Eric Swalwell as another possible source of leaks, further expanding the alleged scope of political abuse within the Intelligence Committee during the Trump presidency.
