Big-name House Republicans sign letter demanding Pelosi remove Swalwell from intelligence committee
by Jerry Dunleavy, Justice Department Reporter |
| December 15, 2020 11:17 AM
A group of House Republicans, led by some of the most high-profile members of the caucus, called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to remove Rep. Eric Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee following revelations that he was targeted by a suspected Chinese spy.
“We write to you today out of concern with Congressman Eric Swalwell’s reported, close contacts with a Chinese Communist Party spy recently reported by Axios. Because of Rep. Swalwell’s position on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, his close interactions with Chinese intelligence services, however unintentional they may be, are an unacceptable national security risk,†the Republicans told Pelosi in a letter obtained by the Washington Examiner. “HPSCI handles some of the most sensitive information our government possesses — information critical to our national defense. As such, we urge you to immediately remove Rep. Swalwell from his position on the House Intelligence Committee.â€
Fang Fang, also known as Christine Fang, a Chinese national believed to be working with China’s Ministry of State Security, conducted an extensive political influence operation between 2011 and 2015 on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party in the Bay Area and elsewhere, according to a report by Axios that cited U.S. intelligence officials. Swalwell's association with Fang, which he has refused to describe in detail, reportedly lasted from 2011 to 2015. Swalwell was elected to the House in 2012.
Fang is suspected of targeting other politicians in California and elsewhere in the country, including romantic relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors who have not been publicly identified. Fang suddenly left the United States in the summer of 2015. She reportedly acted as a financial bundler for Swalwell and helped place at least one intern in his congressional office.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/republicans-sign-letter-pelosi-remove-swalwell-from-intelligence-committee
