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At the heart of the scheme was Columbia University law professor Daniel Richman. The memos reveal Richman acted as Comey’s go-to press contact, funneling sensitive information straight to The New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt. Schmidt’s stories later earned the Times a Pulitzer Prize in 2018.
But this wasn’t just a case of a friend doing a favor. Richman was listed on Columbia’s own website as an “adviser to FBI Director James B. Comey.” Even more shocking, he was given an unpaid position inside the FBI with top-secret clearance — essentially operating as Comey’s propaganda agent inside the bureau.
According to the declassified files, the mission was clear: “to correct stories critical of Comey, the FBI and to shape future press coverage” outside official channels.
This wasn’t journalism. It was political warfare conducted with taxpayer-funded resources.
Classified Leaks and Criminal Intent
Richman himself admitted to FBI agents that Comey granted him access to intelligence “up to the SCI level” — some of the most sensitive secrets held by the U.S. government.
The “Arctic Haze” probe zeroed in on four specific articles that were fueled by these leaks. Each story advanced the phony Trump-Russia narrative, eventually sparking a media frenzy that pressured Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein into appointing Robert Mueller as Special Counsel on May 17, 2017.
When agents pressed Richman about leaking, he gave an astonishing response. He could only deny it “with a discount” — essentially admitting he couldn’t even be sure he hadn’t committed felonies. That’s not how innocent men talk.
For nearly a decade, Richman maintained a close relationship with Schmidt, feeding him stories that painted Comey as a hero while tearing down Trump. Schmidt’s Russia coverage, which won the Pulitzer, was built on classified leaks that the public was never supposed to see.
A Systematic Conspiracy
What makes this revelation so damning is its scope.
This wasn’t a single leak or a rogue employee. This was a carefully organized information campaign run at the top levels of the FBI.
Investigators concluded that “numerous legacy news media stories that crafted the false Russia collusion narrative contained illegally leaked classified intelligence.” Until now, the identities of those responsible remained hidden.
Comey effectively built a secret propaganda machine inside the FBI — complete with allies who enjoyed security clearances while acting as unofficial mouthpieces.
Yet when Attorney General Bill Barr’s Justice Department had the chance to bring charges, they declined, citing uncertainty over exactly who leaked what. These new declassified memos, however, change the game. They directly tie Comey to authorizing the leaks for political gain.
Time for Accountability
The intentional disclosure of classified material is a serious crime. These leaks, which took place in April and May of 2017, weren’t accidents. They were calculated acts meant to damage a sitting President.
Now, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have both the evidence and the authority to finally hold Comey and his allies accountable.
And the Trump administration has made it clear: this time, the cover-ups won’t save the guilty. Investigations are already underway into Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, signaling that the days of unchecked Deep State protection are numbered.
President Trump promised justice for those who weaponized the federal government against him. With Patel exposing the machinery behind the Russia hoax, that promise is being delivered.
The American people deserve the truth. These declassified files prove beyond doubt that the Russia collusion story wasn’t just “fake news” — it was a calculated conspiracy driven from the highest levels of the FBI.
Comey and his co-conspirators believed they could manipulate the system forever without facing consequences.
They were wrong.
