A longtime Democratic staffer who served for over a decade on the House Intelligence Committee has alleged that Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) authorized the leaking of classified intelligence to the press during the Trump–Russia investigations. According to declassified FBI interview summaries, the whistleblower claims that in a staff meeting, Schiff vowed the leaks would target then‑President Trump and be used to push for his indictment. The staffer objected—calling the plan “unethical and possibly treasonous”—but was told the leaks would go undetected.
The staffer says he voiced his objections directly but was later terminated after repeatedly pushing back. In FBI interviews, he said those around him reassured him that “they would not be caught leaking classified information.” He also alleged that Schiff believed he would become CIA Director if the Hillary Clinton campaign had won. These revelations come amid broader claims that leaks were systematically used to influence political narratives.
Despite multiple interviews and declassified documents, the Department of Justice declined to bring charges, citing constitutional protections—especially the Speech or Debate Clause, which shields legislators from prosecution over certain legislative acts. The whistleblower maintained that those protections should not extend to intentional misuse of classified materials. Legal commentators have suggested that if proven, Schiff could face fines of up to $250,000 per leak and potentially lengthy prison terms under conspiracy or classified information statutes. Schiff’s office has denied the allegations, calling them part of a wider effort to discredit his oversight work.
🚨Former US Attorney Brett Tolman says Adam Schiff could be facing 20 years in federal prison plus a $250,000 fine for every piece of Russian information he leaked to the media:
“The fine is up to $250,000 for every, every leak that's charged. So it depends on the counts in the… pic.twitter.com/1lPIKVZFFc
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 12, 2025
