The New York Times reported that the whistleblower at the center of President Donald Trump’s Ukraine scandal initially approached a House intelligence committee aide, who suggested that the whistleblower find a lawyer to advise him and meet with the intelligence community inspector general to file a whistleblower complaint. Now, right-wing media are claiming that House intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) improperly colluded with the whistleblower to launch an investigation into Trump.

On October 2, The New York Times reported that Schiff “learned about the outlines of a C.I.A. officer’s concerns that President Trump had abused his power days before the officer filed a whistleblower complaint” because the whistleblower first “approached a House Intelligence Committee aide with his concerns.” The aide “followed procedures,” recommending that the officer get a lawyer and referring him to an inspector general.

According to Susan Hennessey, Lawfare executive editor and Brookings Institution senior fellow, “This is literally how the process is supposed to work. Everyone did what they were supposed to do.” NBC News correspondent Ken Dilanian wrote that right-wing media’s spin is “deeply misleading,” explaining, “Intel officers complain to the oversight committee two or three times a month. The staff tells them what this person was told: Get a lawyer, file a formal complaint with the inspector general.” And Olivia Gazis, CBS News’ intelligence and national security reporter, tweeted that spokespeople for both Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Mark Warner (D-VA) told her “that it would be ***standard practice*** for intel committee to tell a potential whistleblower to hire counsel and file a complaint with an agency IG or the [intelligence community] IG.” Gazis emphasized that this assertion is bipartisan, writing, “Both parties say this.”