John Solomon
One-line summary: Investigative journalist and Just the News founder who has documented FBI and DOJ institutional overreach through source documents, describing intelligence community misconduct as evidence of a deep state that operates through bureaucratic power rather than democratic mandate.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | John F. Solomon |
| Role | Investigative Journalist, Founder of Just the News |
| Platform | Just the News (justthenews.com), John Solomon Reports podcast, Real America's Voice |
| Notable Works | FISA abuse reporting, "10 secret documents capable of rocking deep state," Ukraine corruption investigations, Just the News founding |
Background & Biography
John Solomon is an American investigative journalist who has worked at the Washington Post, the Washington Times, the Associated Press, and The Hill before founding Just the News in 2020. He has won numerous journalism awards, including the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. Solomon's career has been defined by his focus on obtaining and publishing primary source documents rather than relying on anonymous sources -- an approach he argues provides a more verifiable basis for investigative claims. His reporting at The Hill on Ukraine corruption and FBI FISA abuse generated significant controversy, with both praise for his document-based methodology and criticism from those who questioned his editorial objectivity. He founded Just the News specifically to create a platform for investigative journalism free from what he described as legacy media editorial constraints that suppressed stories challenging the intelligence community.
Their Deep State Definition
John Solomon's deep state framework is built on documentary evidence rather than theory. His approach focuses on obtaining and publishing actual government documents -- FISA applications, FBI memos, diplomatic cables, and internal communications -- that reveal how intelligence and law enforcement agencies operated outside their mandates for political purposes.
Solomon defines the deep state operationally: as the network of senior officials within the FBI, DOJ, CIA, and State Department who used their institutional powers to pursue political agendas independent of -- and sometimes in opposition to -- elected leadership. He described "10 secret documents capable of rocking the deep state," referring to classified materials whose declassification would expose institutional misconduct.
His investigative work has focused on several interconnected threads: the FBI's handling of the Steele dossier and FISA court applications, the intelligence community's role in shaping the Russia collusion narrative, and corruption involving US officials and Ukrainian entities. Solomon's methodology emphasizes primary source documents over anonymous sources, which he argues provides a more reliable evidentiary basis for understanding deep state operations.
Solomon founded Just the News as an independent platform specifically to report on institutional corruption without the editorial constraints he experienced at legacy media organizations, where he argues editors suppressed or softened stories that challenged the intelligence community narrative.
Key Quotes
"There are 10 secret documents capable of rocking the deep state to its core." -- The Hill, 2019
"The evidence isn't theoretical. It's in the documents. The FBI's own records show they knew the dossier was unreliable and used it anyway." -- Just the News, 2020
"What I've documented isn't a conspiracy theory. It's a pattern of institutional behavior where unelected officials pursued their own agenda using the most powerful tools of government." -- John Solomon Reports podcast
"The deep state's greatest vulnerability is transparency. When the documents come out, the narrative collapses." -- Interview, 2020
Key Arguments & Evidence They Cite
- FBI internal documents (FD-1023 forms) showed agents had evidence contradicting the Russia collusion narrative that was suppressed by leadership
- FISA court applications against Carter Page contained documented errors, omissions, and misrepresentations
- State Department officials provided the FBI with information questioning the Steele dossier's reliability before the FISA applications were filed
- Ukrainian officials and entities had documented relationships with both US political operatives and intelligence-connected figures
- Classification systems were used to hide embarrassing institutional conduct rather than protect national security
- Legacy media organizations actively suppressed investigative reporting that contradicted the intelligence community's preferred narratives
- Declassified documents consistently vindicated reporting that was initially dismissed as "conspiracy theory"
Where They've Said It
- Just the News (justthenews.com), investigative reporting, 2019-present
- The Hill opinion columns, 2017-2019
- John Solomon Reports podcast, ongoing
- Real America's Voice television appearances
- Circa News investigative reporting (with Sara Carter), 2016-2017
- Various media appearances and congressional testimony
Related Perspectives
- Sara_Carter -- Former Circa News colleague who reported on the same institutional corruption
- Kash_Patel -- House Intelligence Committee investigator whose findings aligned with Solomon's reporting
- Sharyl_Attkisson -- Fellow investigative journalist who experienced institutional pushback for similar reporting
- Peter_Schweizer -- Complementary investigative focus on government corruption through financial analysis
Impact & Influence
- Contributed to public awareness and debate about unaccountable government power
- Their work has been cited by other researchers, journalists, and public figures in this project
- Represents a significant voice in the broader movement to increase government transparency and accountability
- Has influenced policy discussions around intelligence community oversight and reform
Criticism & Counterarguments
- Critics argue their claims oversimplify complex institutional dynamics
- Mainstream commentators have dismissed some of their analysis as conspiratorial thinking
- Supporters counter that documented evidence validates their core thesis
- The debate continues to evolve as new documents and evidence emerge
Other Coverage Worth Reading
- Joe Rogan: Podcaster and comedian whose views on the deep state have evolved from affirming "this thing he was saying...
- The Corporate Deep State — The Contractor State: The theory that major corporations — particularly in defense, technology, pharmaceuticals, and finance — function as integral components...
- Deep Politics — Peter Dale Scott's Framework: Peter Dale Scott's academic framework for understanding how covert arrangements, suppressed connections, and unacknowledged power structures shape major...
- Ray McGovern: Former CIA analyst of 27 years and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) who describes the...
Sources
- Solomon, John. Just the News (justthenews.com), investigative reporting, 2019-present.
- Solomon, John. The Hill opinion columns, 2017-2019.
- Solomon, John. John Solomon Reports podcast, various episodes.
- Inspector General Horowitz Report on FISA abuse, December 2019.
- Declassified government documents published by Solomon, various dates.
This information was compiled by Claude AI research.