Adam Schiff Blasts Donald Trump For Claiming He Leaked Russian Interference Intel On Bernie Sanders
President Donald Trump accused Democratic leader Adam Schiff of leaking intelligence that Russia was attempting to interfere in the 2020 election to promote apparent frontrunner, Bernie Sanders. The House Intelligence Chairman blasted back at Trump, saying that the president’s comment was a “deflection” from his own leaky administration.
As The Hill reports, news emerged on Friday that Russia was working to meddle in the 2020 election by interfering in Bernie Sanders’ campaign. Trump immediately responded that he hadn’t been told about the interference, suggesting that Schiff had leaked the information to the press.
“They ought to investigate Adam Schiff for leaking that intelligence,” he told reporters on Sunday.
He continued his attacks against the Democrat — who led the impeachment inquiry against the president — via Twitter, calling Schiff corrupt and suggesting he had made up the information.
“Somebody please tell incompetent (thanks for my high poll numbers) & corrupt politician Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff to stop leaking Classified information or, even worse, made up information, to the Fake News Media. Someday he will be caught, & that will be a very unpleasant experience!” Trump wrote.
Schiff responded to the attack, saying that he hadn’t leaked any information and warning the president that Americans would be more upset with someone who refused to stop foreign actors for interfering in U.S. elections.
“Nice deflection, Mr. President. But your false claims fool no one,” Schiff said in a second tweet. “You welcomed Russian help in 2016, tried to coerce Ukraine’s help in 2019, and won’t protect our elections in 2020.”
“Now you fired your intel chief for briefing Congress about it,” he concluded.
Schiff’s comments come after Trump removed his chief intelligence officer, Joseph Maguire, amid speculation that he was upset with Maguire for revealing that Russia was interfering in the U.S. election in order to help Trump get re-elected in November.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Trump’s newly-installed national security adviser denied having any intel on Russian interference in Trump’s re-election bid, but confirmed that it was believable that Russia would interfere on Sanders’ behalf. His comments prompted outrage from those who felt that he was ignoring intelligence reporting in order to support the president.
WATCH: After press reports that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election, Trump blames House Intel Chairman Adam Schiff and calls for an investigation into the leak. #MTP
Pres. Trump: "Nobody said it to me at all. Nobody briefed me about that all." pic.twitter.com/LYeemOptQh
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 23, 2020
An insider told The Hill that Trump’s claims are completely untrue, saying that Schiff doesn’t make a habit of commenting on classified intelligence.
Intelligence officials have attempted to warn government leaders that after successfully interfering in the 2016 election, Russia would again try to interfere in the 2020 election.
