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Senator Comments On Declassified Report
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Senator Comments On Declassified Report

In a week already overflowing with political intrigue, journalist Catherine Herridge detonated a classified information scandal that’s now orbiting around one man: Senator Adam Schiff.

Herridge’s Wednesday reporting, based on a freshly declassified 2017 FBI “302” report, pulls no punches. The document paints a picture of systemic intelligence leaks allegedly orchestrated from within the House Intelligence Committee—and names Schiff as the central figure in what appears to be a deliberate campaign to politically wound President Donald Trump.

Let’s unpack it.

According to the report, the leaks weren’t isolated. They were described as a “systematic process.” Notes containing sensitive material were allegedly sent up the chain to Schiff, who would then decide who would leak the content. If this account holds, Schiff wasn’t just aware of the leaking—he was actively managing it.


That’s a striking accusation—particularly given Schiff’s prominent role in shaping public narratives around Trump during the Russiagate years. As the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence at the time, Schiff had access to top-level briefings and raw intelligence—most of it classified. The implication now is that some of that intelligence was weaponized, not safeguarded.

Herridge’s report also mentions Rep. Eric Swalwell, a fellow Democrat on the committee, who allegedly “had to be counseled to be more careful” about leaking sensitive information. Swalwell, for his part, lashed out immediately, dismissing the whistleblower’s claims with a profanity-laced denial on X.


“If they had anything, they would have indicted me,” Swalwell wrote. “They didn’t. Therefore, they had nothing.”

But the whistleblower material tells a different story: not only did leaks happen, they were deliberate—and allegedly directed by Schiff. These were not rogue actions by low-level staffers. According to the FBI’s interview with a GOP committee staffer, Schiff’s involvement was intentional and structured.


Schiff, unsurprisingly, called the claims “absolutely and categorically false.” He also attempted to redirect the narrative, calling attention to Trump’s refusal to release certain Epstein-related files. It’s a classic political maneuver—when cornered, change the subject. But with the declassified documents now in public view, the story may have legs Schiff can’t outpace.

Trump responded swiftly and predictably, seizing on the news as vindication.

“Just out, irrefutable proof that Adam Shifty Schiff ‘APPROVED PLAN TO LEAK CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO DAMAGE DONALD TRUMP,’” he posted early Wednesday.


Whether this turns into legal action remains to be seen. As Schiff pointed out, Trump’s own Justice Department did not move on the allegations during his first term. But the political damage may already be done—especially as trust in institutions remains fragile and the public appetite for accountability, particularly on intelligence and surveillance abuse, grows sharper by the day.

Written by Arthur Higgens - August 14, 2025