Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says she doesn’t have “any concern” about Representative Eric Swalwell’s ability to serve in Congress despite the congressman’s ties to a Chinese spy.
Well, that’s a relief. If it were me, I’d be worried that the congressman might be a traitorous SOB and was blabbing secrets to an enemy agent while under the covers with her.
But that’s just me.
She pushed back on GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy who has publicly questioned whether Pelosi knew of China’s alleged attempt to infiltrate Swalwell’s office when she appointed him to the House Intelligence Committee in January 2015.
Pelosi said GOP and Democratic leadership were briefed “at the same moment” in the spring of 2015 about a suspected Chinese spy targeting members of congress.
“In terms of Mr. Swalwell — in the spring of 2015, the leadership of the House and the [Intelligence] Committee were informed that overtures from a Chinese person were being made to members of Congress,” Pelosi said. “When that was made known to the members of Congress, it was over.”
Swalwell has not commented on his relationship with the spy, Christine Fang, and won’t say whether he had a sexual relationship with her. He also won’t resign from the intelligence committee.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram asked Pelosi whether background checks are necessary for all staff and interns given that the suspected spy placed at least one intern in Swalwell’s office, as Axios first reported.
“I don’t know that it means that we have background checks for every intern who comes into the Capitol,” Pelosi said.
“Why did (Pelosi) allow him to stay on that committee? Let’s hope she does not in the next Congress,” McCarthy said Thursday.
Swalwell knows well how the game is played — if you’re a Democrat. Hunker down, keep your mouth shut, and wait till the controversy blows over. No hard questions from the media. No digging by reporters. Not even a follow-up question. In due time, it will all be forgotten and the notion of coddling and protecting a possible Chinese spy will be history.
Fang’s relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors turned sexual, according to Axios, with at least two incidents being caught by FBI surveillance. When asked about the nature of Swalwell’s relationship with Fang, the Democratic congressman’s office declined to comment.
The congressman’s office told Axios that 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.” Beyond that, however, his office would not discuss the story, citing concerns related to classified information.
“Eight years ago” would have been 2012. Congress was briefed on Fang in 2015. Did anyone bother to ask Swalwell what happened during those three years?
What makes this story so interesting is the casual manner in which the Democrats are approaching the idea that Swalwell has been giving the Chinese government top-secret information. Republicans used to worry about Democrats like former Rep. Ron Dellums giving his friends in Moscow and Havana anything useful he learned during meetings of the House Intelligence Committee. Swalwell is a lot dumber than Dellums was and may not have even been aware he was being played.
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