Today’s unprecedented call for the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee to resign is the result of chronic leaking and other misconduct – some of it illegal – by Chairman Adam Schiff and his staff.

Fred Fleitz, now President of the Center for Security Policy, denounced this illegal activity in an interview on Fox News last November. He predicted that, once Schiff took over as committee chairman in January, systematic leaks under his supervision would severely compromise American intelligence capabilities.

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Fleitz, who had served as a staffer on the House Intelligence Committee, flatly accused Schiff and his staff of illegally leaking.

About Shiff: ‘I think he’s been leaking right and left’

In his November interview, he told Fox News’ Gillian Turner, “what’s going to happen when Adam Schiff take over the House Intelligence Committee. I think he’s been leaking right and left. And when sensitive material like this comes up, can he be trusted with it? Will we have to have briefings only to the Gang of Four, the top Republicans and Democrats in Congress?

Schiff’s illegal leaks of classified information could force a breakdown in the congressional oversight process, Fleitz hinted.

Dangerous to share intelligence with Congress?

“Maybe sensitive intelligence will no longer be shared with the House Intelligence Committee once Adam Schiff takes over the chairmanship,” he said.

“I hate to make such an accusation, but I have worked very closely with members and staff of the House intelligence committee,” Fleitz said, speaking of his experience as a former staff member of that committee.

“And it was so bad in this committee, Gillian, that the current [Republican] majority started to build a wall between the Democrat and Republican staffers because so much material was being leaked by the Democratic side. I mean, they had to work without Democratic input because so much material has been leaked,” Fleitz said.

“I think the leaking problem on that committee has been terrible, and I blame the Democrats.”

Fleitz had 25 years in intelligence work

Fleitz served in US national security positions for 25 years with the CIA, DIA, the Department of State and the House Intelligence Committee staff. Most recently, he was Deputy Assistant to President Trump and Chief of Staff to National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Today’s call for Schiff to resign

“Your actions both past and present are incompatible with your duty as Chairman of this Committee,” former Chairman and ranking Republican Devin Nunes and eight other members wrote Schiff today. “As such, we have no faith in your ability to discharge your duties in a manner consistent with your Constitutional responsibility and urge your immediate resignation as Chairman of this committee,” they said.

(Reprinted with permission from Center for Security Policy, J. Michael Waller reporting.)