Declassified Records Allege Director Comey, Lawmakers Schiff, Swalwell Behind Russia Leaks

TOP LINE

This was an historic week. 

President Trump met in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  The meeting did not secure a deal, but it paved the way for more talks in Washington D.C. with Ukraine’s President and European leaders. 

At the same time, the declassification of FBI records on the Russia Collusion scandal accelerated. The now public records allege that congressional Democrats strategically leaked information to characterize President Trump, during his first term, as a tool of Putin. 

The accused leakers include then Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff and Congressman Eric Swalwell.  The former FBI Director James Comey is also singled out for his role in high profile media leaks. 

Through trusted contacts, I learned this week that there is renewed investigative interest in Comey's 2017 congressional testimony. Under oath, Comey claimed he was never a leaker nor had he authorized anyone at the FBI to be an anonymous source in media reports. The new records cast doubt on Comey’s testimony.

The FBI records also confirm that Comey used a Columbia University Law Professor to leak at least one memo about Comey’s private conversations with President Trump. 

As we publish, Comey posted a 5-minute video on Substack about Taylor Swift and how her music inspired him to cope with President Trump. 

To say the least, it is an unusual post and it may be an indicator that the former FBI Director is feeling the pressure.

DEEP DIVE

Of the 266 pages of newly declassified FBI documents by Director Kash Patel, an October 2017 report stands out.

It alleges that leaking by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee was “not a one-time thing” and that there was a “system established.”

The FBI report continued, “...notes would be run up to the ranking member, ADAM SCHIFF, after which a decision was made as to who would leak the information…”  The account came from an FBI Special Agent. It was based on a conversation with a GOP House Intelligence committee staffer.   

The GOP staffer’s account could be dismissed as partisan, but another FBI report from August 2017 leveled a similar allegation.  While the interview subject’s name is withheld, it also appears to be a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.   

According to the FBI report, (redacted)  “noted (Democratic congressman) Swalwell has been the source of a lot of leaked information and had to be counseled to be more careful.”

This FBI report also contains the claim that the source was told by “various HPSCI (House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) staff colleagues if Hillary Clinton were to win the election Representative Schiff would be offered the position of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.”

FREE PREVIEW 🔓️ 

Catherine Herridge Reports Is Backed By Readers Like You

Our team relies on your subscriptions. No corporations. No pressure from advertisers. We can follow the facts wherever they lead.

Please consider supporting our independent, fact based journalism. Your support makes it possible!

According to the new records, even a career intelligence officer working for Democrats on the the House Intelligence Committee allegedly complained about Schiff.  As first reported by Just the News,  an independent newsroom, a Democrat whistleblower warned the FBI that Schiff was leaking classified information, describing it as “unethical,” “illegal” and “treasonous.”

These new allegations reinforce how strategic media leaks can be used to shape and promote a political narrative.  It is very similar, for example, to the circular reporting used by FBI leadership to secure surveillance warrants for a Trump campaign aide in 2016 that we have discussed in the recent newsletters.

We reached out to Rep Swalwell’s office for a response. On X, Swalwell claimed the October 2017 whistleblower “made it up.” 

Schiff has called the declassified records a “smear” and "absolutely and categorically false.”

Neither Schiff nor Swalwell has faced charges over the alleged misconduct.

COMEY’S LEGAL POSITION GETS WORSE

With the FBI files declassified, trusted contacts report there is renewed investigative interest in former Director Comey’s May 2017 congressional testimony about his role in media leaks. In that testimony, Comey denied he had leaked to the media, or authorized someone else at the FBI to do so...

The remainder of this newsletter is for paid subscribers only.

Catherine Herridge Reports: Telling the stories we could not tell before. Where the facts have a power all their own.

✅ Whistleblower investigations that demand government accountability and get results with long overdue benefits awarded to US service members.

✅ Analysis that is fact driven and unafraid to challenge the prevailing narrative.

✅ Unlimited access to our online archive where you can read previous editions of the newsletter.