Dem Whistleblower Says Schiff OK’ed Classified Leaks To Hurt Trump
An intelligence officer who spent over a decade working for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee repeatedly alerted the FBI, starting in 2017, that then-Rep. Adam Schiff had authorized the leaking of classified information to damage then-President Donald Trump during the now-discredited Russiagate investigation, according to explosive FBI memos recently provided to Congress by Director Kash Patel.
FBI 302 interview reports obtained by Just the News reveal that the staffer — a registered Democrat who described himself as a friend to both Schiff, now a California senator, and former Republican House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes — viewed the leaks as “unethical,” “illegal,” and “treasonous.”
The staffer claimed he was told not to worry because Schiff believed the Constitution’s speech and debate clause would shield him from prosecution, Just the News first reported.
There is no publicly available opinion from the Attorney General or Solicitor General supporting such a determination as a matter of law.
However, officials told Just the News that when the allegations were first presented years ago, the Justice Department showed little interest in pursuing Schiff, echoing the same rationale the lawmaker himself had offered.
In his most recent interview with the FBI in 2023, the whistleblower — whose name remains redacted — told agents from the bureau’s St. Louis office that he had personally attended a meeting where Schiff authorized the release of classified information, the outlet said.
“When working in this capacity, [redacted staffer’s name] was called to an all-staff meeting by SCHIFF,” the interview report said. “In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP.”
The whistleblower told investigators that he “stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information,” the 2023 interview report stated, according to Just the News.
The staffer first made similar allegations to agents at the FBI’s Washington field office in 2017, shortly after the start of Trump’s first term. While the alleged leaks are now beyond the statute of limitations for prosecution under most legal theories, the disclosures surface at a politically sensitive moment for Schiff, who was recently referred to the Justice Department for potential prosecution in a separate mortgage fraud case first reported by Just the News.
Officials also noted that several DOJ personnel who declined to pursue numerous classified leak cases during the Russiagate controversy still hold influential positions — a detail that may draw the attention of congressional lawmakers.
“For years, certain officials used their positions to selectively leak classified information to shape political narratives,” Patel told Just the News on Monday. “It was all done with one purpose: to weaponize intelligence and law enforcement for political gain.
“Those abuses eroded public trust in our institutions,” he added. “The FBI will now lead the charge, with our partners at DOJ, and Congress will have the chance to uncover how political power may have been weaponized and to restore accountability.”
Schiff, who served as both ranking member and later chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) before moving to the Senate, spent years promoting unfounded allegations of Trump-Russia collusion and championing former British spy Christopher Steele’s discredited dossier — even reading several baseless claims from it into the congressional record in March 2017.
That same year, the whistleblower began bringing concerns to the FBI, Just the News reported.
According to the memos, the Democratic HPSCI staffer told agents in one meeting that retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn — Trump’s first national security adviser — was being singled out as part of a broader committee effort to target Trump.
The whistleblower also identified Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) as a likely source of classified leaks, the outlet reported.
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE — Nightmare Brewing for Hakeem Jeffries as He Could Be OUT After Facing Heat From Dems...
Washington, D.C. - June 3, 2026
Hakeem Jeffries Encounters Growing Reluctance from Democratic Candidates to Back His Leadership
Washington, D.C. — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is facing increasing resistance from Democratic candidates who are declining to commit to supporting his leadership if the party regains the House majority in November.
A significant number of viable Democratic challengers have indicated to Axios that voting for Jeffries as speaker would not be automatic. Last fall, more than 80 Democratic House candidates expressed uncertainty or outright opposition to his continued leadership. The situation has worsened in recent months.
Mai Vang, a progressive primary challenger to Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), previously offered a noncommittal response about supporting whoever her future colleagues choose. In a more recent statement, she directly criticized Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“The Democratic Party and its leadership—Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries—have failed to mobilize meaningful opposition to Trump’s illegal war and their silence as AIPAC and corporations flood Congressional primaries with millions of dollars is deafening,” Vang said.
Claire Valdez, a New York State Assembly member running to replace retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), told Axios that supporting Jeffries would require “some conversations” first.
Other candidates have proposed alternatives. Anabel Mendoza, a progressive running in Illinois’ 7th District, said she would prefer Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in the leadership role because she is “10 toes down on what matters.”
Some candidates noted that conversations about Jeffries’ future would likely change significantly if Democrats fail to win the House.
Jeffries is also confronting a sharply deteriorating redistricting environment. After initial Democratic optimism following a Virginia referendum victory aimed at gaining up to four seats, recent legal and political developments have turned against the party. In a worst-case scenario, Democrats could lose as many as 10 seats due to aggressive Republican redistricting and court rulings.
Florida Republicans advanced a congressional map that could eliminate up to four Democratic seats, surprising even some GOP observers. Virginia’s Supreme Court has signaled it may overturn the Democrats’ hard-won referendum win. The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais has created new opportunities for Republicans in several Southern states.
In Tennessee, GOP lawmakers have circulated a map targeting Rep. Steve Cohen’s Memphis seat. Louisiana Republicans are positioned to reduce Democratic representation in the state. Alabama officials are seeking to lift an injunction protecting the current map. South Carolina is considering a map that would eliminate Rep. Jim Clyburn’s deeply blue seat. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has expressed interest in challenging Rep. Bennie Thompson.
While some maps remain subject to legal challenges and Democrats hope to compete in certain districts, the overall trajectory has shifted against the party. The combination of internal leadership doubts and unfavorable redistricting has created substantial uncertainty for Jeffries and House Democrats heading into the midterms.
Iranian State TV Announces Death Of Khamenei’s Wife After US Israeli Airstrike
Iranian state television presenters announced the death of Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the 79-year-old wife of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after she succumbed to injuries sustained in the same US-Israeli airstrike that killed her husband at his compound in Tehran.
She died two days after Khamenei was killed, The Wall Street Journal reported. State television declared that Bagherzadeh’s “long dream of martyrdom became true” and said her death would spark “a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors.”
The announcement followed an earlier broadcast in which an anchor tearfully reported the Supreme Leader’s death. Iran declared an official 40-day mourning period and a seven-day national holiday.
According to the Daily Mail, Bagherzadeh married Khamenei in 1965. They had four sons and two daughters.
In a 2011 interview with state media, she described her role as maintaining a calm home environment so her husband could work in peace.
“I think my biggest role was to preserve a calm atmosphere in our home so that he could do his work in peace,” she said.
She also said she visited him in prison without burdening him with family problems and “would only give him good news.”
She acknowledged distributing pamphlets, carrying messages, and hiding documents during the revolutionary period but described those efforts as “not worth mentioning.”
Her death comes amid escalating military exchanges between Iran and US-Israeli forces.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed across Iran in the campaign, with more than 130 cities coming under attack.
Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, condemned the strikes as “unlawful, criminal and brutal” and alleged that the Natanz nuclear enrichment site was targeted.
“Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie,” Najafi told journalists.
Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official, wrote on X that “we will not negotiate with the United States.”
Iran is believed to have launched multiple retaliatory attacks across the region.
An attack reportedly struck the American embassy compound in Kuwait City, though there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down three American F 15E Strike Eagles.
US Central Command confirmed that all six aircrew ejected safely, were recovered, and are in stable condition.
A pro-Iranian militia in Iraq launched attacks targeting Irbil and a British base in Cyprus. Officials in Oman said a drone boat struck an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman near Muscat, killing one mariner.
Saudi Aramco temporarily shut down its Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam after Iranian drones targeted it.
Saudi state television described the shutdown as “a precautionary one.”
Officials reported 11 people killed in Israel and 31 in Lebanon during the exchanges.
Iran’s combat fleet was engaged in the conflict for the first time.
Iranian officials have framed Bagherzadeh’s death as an act of martyrdom as the country enters a prolonged mourning period.
The conflict continues to evolve as regional tensions remain high.
A senior White House official stated on Sunday that Iran’s “new potential leadership” has indicated a willingness to engage in talks with the United States. This announcement follows a significant military operation by American and Israeli forces, which resulted in the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader and several high-ranking officials, according to Fox News.
The official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal administration matters, mentioned that President Donald Trump is “eventually” open to negotiations, but for the time being, the military operation “continues unabated.” The official did not specify who the potential new leaders of Iran are or how they expressed their willingness to negotiate.
Trump told The Atlantic on Sunday that he planned to speak with Iran’s new leadership.
“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he said, declining comment on the timing.
