Newly declassified FBI reports and testimony from a longtime Democrat whistleblower accuse Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) of authorizing leaks of classified intelligence during the Trump–Russia investigation, allegedly to damage former President Donald Trump. According to the whistleblower, Schiff openly instructed staff to leak derogatory information about Trump to the media and reportedly identified Rep. Eric Swalwell as a likely conduit for the leaks. The allegations also claim Schiff believed he could be appointed CIA Director if Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 election.

If prosecutors were to pursue the case and the claims were proven true, Schiff could face enormous fines — potentially up to $250,000 for every leak — along with prison sentences that could reach 20 years. Such outcomes would almost certainly end his political career. Critics further argue that the FBI ignored repeated warnings from the whistleblower for years, raising concerns about the agency’s impartiality in handling politically sensitive matters.