Documents that point to then-Rep. Adam Schiff's involvement in leaking classified information to create credibility issues for President Donald Trump are being challenged by the office of now Sen. Schiff, as "categorically false."
The documents, relating to the debunked Russia collusion claims about Trump, were obtained by Newsmax's Alana Austin. They had been forwarded to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel after he discovered a trove of documents hidden at the FBI headquarters building.
A Democratic whistleblower told the FBI about the California representative's involvement. Austin reported on Tuesday that Schiff's office claimed Patel knew the information had no basis.
The statement supplied by Schiff's office read: "These baseless smears are based on allegations that were found to be not reliable, not credible, and unsubstantiated from a disgruntled former staffer who was fired by the House Intelligence Committee for cause in early 2017, including for harassment and potentially compromising activity on official travel for the Committee."
The statement also claimed the attempt to connect Schiff with the files was disregarded by "Trump's own Justice Department, and an independent inspector general found this individual to not be credible."
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, characterized the documents hidden in a secret room at FBI headquarters and uncovered by Patel as evidence of a broad conspiracy that involved Democratic political figures — and even the FBI — that attempted to ruin Trump.
"They tried to ruin him politically. They tried to ruin him professionally. They tried to ruin him economically. And obviously, more so, all adding up to a political ruination didn't happen," said Grassley.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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