Herridge: Schiff Ran Point In Democrat Efforts To Strategically Leak Classified Info

Senator Adam Schiff was the point person as Democrats strategically leaked classified information aimed at damaging President Donald Trump during his first term in the White House, journalist Catherine Herridge reported on Wednesday.

Herridge cited an FBI report from 2017, recently declassified via current FBI Director Kash Patel, and said that while the name of the person being interviewed was redacted, it appeared to be someone who sat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

“According to the FBI report known as a ‘302,’ (name redacted) ‘noted Swalwell has been the source of a lot of leaked information and had to be counseled to be more careful,'” Herridge posted on Tuesday, shortly after obtaining the 266 pages of newly-declassified material.

NEW I have obtained a newly declassified @FBI interview summary from 2017 about intelligence leaks from the Russia probes.

While the interview subject’s name is withheld, it appears to be a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

According to the FBI… pic.twitter.com/oGPCXzXtdn

— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) August 13, 2025

Early on Wednesday, Herridge added that she’d reached out to Swalwell for comment and he’d posted his denials via X.

“This ‘whistleblower’ made this bulls*** up when Trump was President. If they had anything, they would have indicted me. Trump would have done anything to destroy me if he could have. They didn’t indict me. Therefore, they had nothing. What’s next?” he said.

This “whistleblower” made this bullshit up when Trump was President. If they had anything, they would have indicted me. Trump would have done anything to destroy me if he could have. They didn’t indict me. Therefore, they had nothing. What’s next? https://t.co/9LzMIduhra

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) August 13, 2025

But Herridge had more to add — also discovered in the declassified 2017 report was the claim that the leaking of classified information had not been “a one time thing” so much as a “systematic process” — and that Schiff, who at the time was the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, was the linchpin that held the entire operation together.

“Notes would be run up to the ranking member, ADAM SCHIFF, after which a decision was made as to who would leak the information,” an unnamed FBI agent reportedly said after speaking with a GOP House Intelligence Committee staffer.

This is the one declassified @FBI record you should not miss!

The October 2017 FBI report alleges leaking by democrats on the House Intelligence Committee was “not a one-time thing,” there was a “systematic process.”

“…notes would be run up to the ranking member, ADAM SCHIFF,… https://t.co/hpEqgzVfAf pic.twitter.com/0XKTETk0aL

— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) August 13, 2025

Schiff, according to Herridge, responded by calling the claims “absolutely and categorically false.”

He also lashed out at President Trump, attempting to shift the attention to the president and any still unreleased files pertaining to the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump responded to the FBI report early on Wednesday, saying, “Just out, irrefutable proof that Adam Shifty Schiff ‘APPROVED PLAN TO LEAK CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO DAMAGE DONALD TRUMP.'”

Schiff protested via X: “Sorry, Donald. Wrong again. Even Barr’s Justice Department rejected that false smear years ago. But while we are the subject of confidential information, how about releasing those Epstein files? We are still waiting …”

Sorry, Donald. Wrong again.

Even Barr’s Justice Department rejected that false smear years ago.

But while we are the subject of confidential information, how about releasing those Epstein files? We are still waiting… pic.twitter.com/KJ3XAWrDzW

— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) August 13, 2025