The former director of the CIA has accused California Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff (D) of leaking confidential material.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that he is aware that Schiff “leaked classified information that had been provided to him.”
Pompeo stated that he was informed of Schiff’s leaks during his time as both CIA director and secretary of state under President Donald Trump.
After House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) opposed Schiff’s reappointment to the House Intelligence Committee, Pompeo made his accusation.
Four years ago, Schiff had served as chairman of the Intelligence Committee.
McCarthy stated that he blocked Schiff out of concern for national security.
“During my time as CIA director and secretary of state, I know that he leaked classified information that had been provided to him,” Pompeo stated Wednesday on Fox News.
Pompeo did not provide specifics, but he argued that the issue was severe enough to limit the information he shared with Congress.
Emily Compagno, the co-host of “Outnumbered,” challenged Pompeo on why there has been no responsibility if such leaks are “a felony at a minimum, up to treason.”
“It’s a complicated process, right? It’s difficult to pin down precisely what happened,” Pompeo said.
“But I could tell you that when we provided information to him and to his staff, it ended up in places it shouldn’t have been with alarming regularity.
“We could see it. In the end, I decided, I held back information from them as a result.”
MIKE POMPEO: "The fact that…Schiff was the Chairman of the…Intelligence Committee almost ruined that committee…Schiff should be nowhere near serving on the Intelligence Committee. I don't think he should be seeing classified information." pic.twitter.com/3A0iwMc3Dq
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 25, 2023
Pompeo is hardly the first Trump administration intelligence chief to accuse Schiff of leaking confidential material.
Former acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Richard Grenell said in January 2021 that Schiff and his crew “frequently” leaked secret material.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) stated to conservative journalist Lisa Boothe in April 2021 that Schiff may be a source for questionable allegations about Russia providing incentives to Afghan insurgents to kill American troops.
At the time, Schiff spokesperson Patrick Boland sent a terse comment to the Washington Examiner.
“Yet another false and baseless claim by Tom Cotton — you would think he would know better by now,” Boland said.
Schiff himself has denied leaking classified information in the past.
“I haven’t. My staff hasn’t,” he told CNN in 2020.
“I can’t speak for what all the members of the committee have done or not done, including a lot of the Republican members,” he added.
Tuesday, as reported by Slay News, Speaker McCarthy removed Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) off the House Intelligence Committee.
McCarthy had long accused Schiff of being a habitual liar, particularly with regard to Trump-related investigations.
McCarthy attacked Schiff for continuously deceiving the American people while explaining why he was removed from the Committee.
In his appearance with Fox News, Pompeo also referred to Schiff as a liar and commended McCarthy for removing him from the panel.
Over the weekend, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) nominated Schiff to the committee, calling him “very competent.”
Schiff replied to his obstruction by stating McCarthy’s action was “petty, political retaliation for probing Donald Trump.”
Also on Tuesday, Schiff stated that, while working on the House Intelligence Committee, he was too “paranoid” to bring secret information home.
“This is what’s so astounding, I think, for all of us on the Intelligence Committee,” Schiff told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, who asked if he had taken any records home.
“I never take classified documents to my house.
“I don’t know any reason why people would,” Schiff added.
Approximately a dozen sensitive documents were discovered at the residence of former Vice President Mike Pence in Indiana and turned over to the FBI at the time of the conversation.
The Justice Department has already hired two separate special counsels to investigate Trump’s and Biden’s handling of secret data housed at their homes and offices.