Eric Swalwell, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee alongside Chairman Adam Schiff, was one of the primary targets of Fang Fang, a suspected Chinese spy who had U.S. politicians in her sights for the purpose of extracting information from them.
Fang, also known as Christine Fang, was a Chinese "honey trap spy," using romantic or sexual relationships for political espionage. Through fundraising, charm and romance, Fang successfully placed herself among Bay Area politicos between 2011 and 2015. Some of Fang's first known political contacts in the U.S. included former Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison, Rep. Judy Chu and Swalwell. She reportedly raised funds for Swalwell's 2014 re-election campaign before he joined the Intelligence Committee in 2015, and allegedly planted an intern in Swalwell's congressional office. Fang is believed to have had frequent contact with a suspected Chinese ministry of state security officer operating under diplomatic cover in the San Francisco consulate.
Swalwell, 40, a married ex-presidential candidate, maintains his relationship with the alleged spy was leaked while he was involved in impeaching President Donald Trump. Swalwell has refused to confirm or deny his entanglement with Fang, insisting that classified information was being weaponized against him because of his ongoing and vocal criticism of President Trump.
Last week, in an interview with Politico, instead of answering questions about his involvement with Fang, he again condemned the president, saying, "I've been a critic of the president. I've spoken out against him. I was on both committees that worked to impeach him. The timing feels like that should be looked at." Swalwell added, "What it appears though, that this person—as the story reports—was unsuccessful in whatever they were trying to do. But if intelligence officials are trying to weaponize someone's cooperation, they are essentially seeking to do what this person was not able to do, which is to try and discredit someone."
In a move that is all too familiar, corporate media is largely ignoring a years-long Axios report detailing Swalwell's various interactions with Fang. As of Monday, the New York Times does not appear to have covered the story. After first ignoring the report, the Washington Post wrote articles about the scandal on Friday.
Not surprisingly, when asked by reporters last week if she was briefed on the Swalwell spy embarrassment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went on the defensive, saying QAnon is a danger to congress. Pelosi said, referring to Marjorie Taylor Green, "McCarthy has QAnon in his delegation over there and that I think is a danger in terms of our debate here about what the possibilities are for undue influence to members of Congress.”
Swalwell was notified by the FBI in 2015 of Fang's suspected ties to the Chinese government in a defensive briefing. However, the briefing failed to include most, if not all, Republicans on the elite committee, who weren't informed that a colleague had been targeted by China. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff refused to disclose why he withheld details of Swalwell's relationship with the alleged Chinese spy from the intelligence committee. Swalwell declares he cut ties with Fang and has not been implicated in any wrongdoing. None of it sits well with many top White House Republicans, who question whether Swalwell should be removed from Congress.
In an interview last week with the FOX Business program "Mornings with Maria," Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida.) described why he thinks Swalwell should be removed from the House Intelligence Committee, noting that he "has access to information that could hurt us" given his alleged "relationship with the Communist Party of China." Because he serves on the committee, Scott warned that Swalwell has "got our most important secrets. This is so basic. Nancy Pelosi cannot allow him to stay on the Intelligence Committee."
On Monday, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said the lack of media attention given to Rep. Eric Swalwell's Chinese spy involvement is "infuriating, corrupt, and disgusting. That act in itself is affecting the election, and they know it. The double standard of the mainstream media is one of the largest challenges of our times. Everybody knows it."
Jim Jordan R-Ohio, echoed that sentiment late last week, raising what he called "fundamental questions" surrounding allegations that a suspected Chinese spy had compromised Rep. Eric Swalwell.
