The FBI has reportedly launched a criminal investigation into whether Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee or their staff leaked classified intelligence information toThe New York Timesin an apparent effort to damage Director of National IntelligenceTulsi Gabbardduring her confirmation battle.
According to reporting fromJust the News,the probe centers on aNational Security Agency criminal referrallast year tied to the disclosure of a classified overseas intercept that surfaced in aNew York Timesreport during Gabbard’s contentious nomination process.
Sources told the outlet that FBI Director Kash Patel moved quickly after learning of the dormant referral, opening a criminal investigation into whether Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats or their staff improperly disclosed classified material.
The alleged leak reportedly involved intelligence tied to Gabbard’s 2017 Syria trip.
The intercepts reportedly captured two Hezbollah terrorists discussing Gabbard’s 2017 trip to Syria, where they claimed she met with “the big guy.”
The classified material was in the hands of Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats and their staff before it magically appeared in the New York Times hit piece.
TheTimessuggested the reference was taken by some to mean Gabbard had met with a top Hezbollah terrorist leader, a claim she adamantly denied.
NSA concluded the leak accurately contained information from one of its intercepts but that Gabbard had not in fact met with Hezbollah leaders.
The spy agency identified potential leakers among Senate Intelligence Committee Democrat staff who had access to the intercept prior to theTimesreport, sources said.
The referral languished inside the Justice Department for months – with top leaders unaware of the concerns – until FBI Director Kash Patel was alerted to the existence of the referral a few weeks ago.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
