In an effort to counter the explosive GOP memo revealing FISA court abuses and a lack of integrity at the top of the FBI and Department of Justice, Rep. Adam Schiff may have released classified information of his own.
Schiff, alongside other prominent Democrats, has denounced the release of the memo, which contains shocking information about surveillance abuse committed against the Trump campaign.
The President referred to the memo as a “disgrace,” adding, “a lot of people should be ashamed of themselves.”
Pres. Trump says GOP memo has been declassified: “Congress will do whatever they’re going to do. But I think it’s a disgrace what’s happening in our country…A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves.” https://t.co/OfR9pu29Wo pic.twitter.com/wJHEptrGrk
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 2, 2018
Schiff, the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, couldn’t contain his exuberance in countering the memo, and in doing so, may have let slip some classified information of his own.
The top Democrat claims the political bias of the man behind a dossier that was used as grounds to spy on the Trump team was disclosed to the FISA court judges, a contradiction in what was reported in the memo.
Schiff argued that the memo’s assertion is “not accurate,” saying the court was aware that there was a “likely political motivation” behind the dossier.
The Law & Crime blog, a site run by legal correspondent Dan Abrams, believes Schiff made a big mistake in making that claim.
“In the performance of Schiff’s shtick – protecting the nation’s largely unaccountable intelligence agencies from any sort of oversight – Schiff may have released classified information himself,” author Colin Kalmbacher writes.
“Now, the initial press release, on its own, likely isn’t enough to rise to the level of releasing classified information,” he adds. “Schiff’s lengthy rebuttal more or less just says that Devin Nunes’ memo is wrong and is light on details.”
“But his later comments to reporters – where he told reporters that Steele’s ‘likely political motivation’ was revealed to the FISA Court – do appear to reveal distinct information, potentially classified information,” the report reads.
Report: Adam Schiff may have leaked classified information to discredit FISA memo — here’s what legal experts say https://t.co/Vcf1ddUHfm
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) February 4, 2018
Schiff’s penchant for leaking classified earned him the scorn of President Trump, as well as a new nickname.
Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018
Attorney Mark Zaid counters that Schiff may have known what he was saying, that the comments may have fallen in “unclassified paragraphs,” explaining “so much of these back-and-forths about the memo are in a gray area on classification.”
Honestly, even if he did release classified information, we learned from Hillary Clinton that certain people will never be held accountable for such a crime.
Whom do you believe in this battle – Devin Nunes and the FISA memo, or Adam Schiff and his claims? Share your thoughts below!
