Overview

• FBI Director Kash Patel declassified and delivered to Congress memos from a career intelligence staffer alleging that then-Rep. Schiff approved leaking classified information to discredit President Trump in 2017.
• The whistleblower, a veteran committee staffer, described the 2017 leak plan as "illegal," "unethical," and "treasonous" and reported that colleagues assured him there was no risk of detection.
• Senator Schiff’s office labeled the allegations false and cited earlier DOJ and inspector general reviews that found the whistleblower’s claims unsubstantiated and of "unknown reliability."
• Justice Department officials previously declined to pursue the matter, invoking the Constitution’s Speech and Debate Clause and acknowledging that any prosecution might fall outside applicable statutes of limitations.
• Conservative media outlets have prominently amplified the declassified memos, and no new criminal referrals or congressional investigations have been announced since their release.