A group of 14 Republican lawmakers want FBI Director Christopher Wray to brief them on all the facts about Rep. Eric Swalwell’s relationship with Fang Fang, a suspected intelligence asset of the Chinese Communist Party.
“As our nation faces a growing security threat from the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) attempts to infiltrate and undermine the United States Government, we write to request a full briefing regarding counterintelligence threats to Members of Congress, including information related to Representative Eric Swalwell’s ties to a suspected intelligence operative,” the letter reads. “This potential breach of our national security is especially concerning due to Rep. Swalwell’s position as a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, where Members have access to our nation’s most sensitive classified information.”
QUESTIONS RAISED OVER WHEN ERIC SWALWELL KNEW ABOUT CHINESE SPY SUSPECT FANG FANG
Signatories on the letter include Homeland Security Committee ranking member John Katko, a New York Republican, and New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a former Democrat who joined the GOP in 2020.
Since a December Axios story reported the identity of Fang (and her subsequent efforts at cozying up to Democratic politicians such as Swalwell), Republicans have sharply criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for failing to discipline the Democratic lawmaker.
A December letter from Republican House members demanded that Swalwell be removed from his seat on the House Intelligence Committee.
“The House Intelligence Committee is instrumental in overseeing our national effort to counteract our chief global rival’s espionage initiatives; for one of its members to have had an undisclosed relationship with a foreign asset in the manner described by recent reports in unacceptable and dangerous,” the letter read.
Other Republicans, such as Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, have reacted to the revelations a step further and have called for Swalwell to leave Congress altogether.
“He was the most over-the-top critic of President Trump on Russia collusion, and it turns out he’s sleeping with a Chinese spy,” Paul said in a December interview. “I mean, my goodness. The hypocrisy. It’s appalling, and he really should be red-faced and ashamed of himself and really probably ought to just resign from Congress.”
Swalwell has maintained his innocence and has said that he ended his relationship with Fang immediately after being informed of concerns by federal investigators. He has since blamed the leaking of the story and questioning from Republicans on a revenge campaign by the Trump administration over his role in the Russiagate controversy.
“Rep. Swalwell, long ago, provided information about this person — whom he met more than eight years ago, and whom he hasn’t seen in nearly six years — to the FBI,” a spokesman for Swalwell told Axios. “To protect information that might be classified, he will not participate in your story.”
The FBI held a briefing for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Pelosi in December on the topic, although details of that meeting remain secret.
“The Intel Committee is a special committee. It’s a committee that keeps our secrets. It’s a committee that knows our secrets. It’s a committee that has a lot of information that members of Congress do not,” the California Republican said that day. “I just think there are 200 other Democrats that I know who can fill that place long before this individual should be serving.”
Democrats remain supportive of Swalwell, who recently played a key role in the second impeachment against former President Donald Trump. Earlier this year, Pelosi accused Republicans of attempting to distract the media from internal discord within their own party.
Fears about whether lawmakers are vulnerable to foreign espionage extend to nonpartisan China analysts and former intelligence officials, who say Swalwell’s recklessness should be a wake-up call.
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Fang, who fled the country in 2015, is also suspected of engaging in romantic relationships with two unidentified Midwestern mayors. During her time in California, she grew close enough with Swalwell to place an intern in his office and fundraise for his election to the House.
