In today’s version of “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) is blaming President Trump for the Axios report that disclosed his questionable relationship with a Chinese spy. According to Politico:
“I’ve been a critic of the president. I’ve spoken out against him. I was on both committees that worked to impeach him,” Swalwell said in an interview on Tuesday. “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.”
Is Swalwell alleging that Trump waited until more than a month after the election to out him? Never mind that Swalwell was photographed with the woman he refers to as “this person,” who went by Christine Fang, numerous times smiling broadly. According to the Axios report, she had enough influence in Swalwell’s inner circle to place an intern in his Washington, D.C., office. She also helped with his campaign fundraising.
There are also allegations that Swalwell had a sexual relationship with Fang. He refused to answer questions about this when Politico asked him. Tucker Carlson noted this on his show last night:
U.S. intelligence officials believe that Fang had a sexual relationship with Eric Swalwell. We asked Swalwell’s office about that directly today. His staff replied by saying they couldn’t comment on whether or not Swalwell had a sexual relationship with Fang because that information might be, quote, “classified.” They did not elaborate or explain what they meant by that.
Note the lack of an outright denial. It is not clear how not doing something would be classified. Carlson went on to note that for three years, Swalwell accused President Trump of being a Russian spy — when a Chinese spy had allegedly compromised Swalwell:
“It’s always those who have the most to hide who attack other people for the very things they’ve done.”
He also reminded viewers that Swalwell is on the House Intelligence Committee and privy to some of the country’s most sensitive classified information. The congressman also has tweets that appear to mirror Chinese propaganda. Carlson noted that the statements in these tweets parrot official Chinese state media. It’s fair to ask if there’s a connection.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) appeared with Tucker and commented on the case. Regarding Swalwell’s position on the Intelligence Committee, Hawley said:
It’s absolutely unbelievable, Tucker. These revelations really ought to be a shock and a wakeup call to everybody in Washington. But I can tell you, I bet they won’t be. Because we’ve seen the Washington politicians and the D.C. establishment look the other way with China for years and years now. And it’s not as if they hadn’t known. As if they hadn’t known the Chinese had an active espionage effort against elected officials and other targets.
Donald Trump Jr. appeared later in the show to comment on the Georgia Senate runoffs. He also went out of his way to thank Carlson for covering the Swalwell spy saga. He echoed Tucker’s sentiments about the gall Swalwell showed during the Russia hoax:
Also, Tucker, one thing I do have to say, I appreciate watching the opening monologue. I appreciate you calling out Eric Swalwell. As someone who was probably the number two recipient of his tin-foil hat brigade attacks about Russia for years, where he called me a traitor, I find it very ironic that he was perhaps sleeping with a Chinese spy. But certainly, one that had infiltrated his inner circle.
Indeed. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy topped them all in an appearance on The Ingraham Angle:
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Remember what we’re hearing. These are Chinese spies that go down to the level of a mayor. They court and help a city council member become a congressman. This congressman now gets on the Intel Committee. They are only selected for the Intel Committee by the leaders of their party, meaning Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi is one of the Gang of 8 along with myself. Did Nancy Pelosi know this had transpired when she put him on the committee?
He noted that Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein had a Chinese spy in her office for 20 years, during which she was on the Senate Intelligence Committee. McCarthy questioned why Democrats left the bipartisan China Task Force he established. He also noted that Pelosi had not brought bills to the House that the Senate had passed which would hold China accountable. When Ingraham asked him if hearings needed to occur, McCarthy said that’s the purpose of the bipartisan commission.
McCarthy then questioned why Swalwell remained on the Intelligence Committee and in Congress. Especially since he was the lone vocal critic of DNI John Ratcliffe for saying Iran and China were bigger national security threats than Russia. McCarthy noted that China’s spending on espionage is six times larger than Russia’s and twelve times larger than Iran’s.
So far, it is fair to say that Swalwell is acting just like someone who is guilty. He is blaming President Trump for being exposed and not answering direct questions. The investigation into Fang closed in 2015 when the FBI got involved, and she fled the country. It is fair to wonder what pictures and other documents she may have taken with her.
Why Swalwell thinks the president would even be aware of the situation is a mystery. The fact that he thinks Trump would target him directly speaks to his arrogance. His role in the impeachment process wasn’t all that important. He was also not the only politician noted to have had contact with Fang. His rhetoric on Russia and silence about China are in line with just about every other Democrat in Congress.
Swalwell’s continued minimization of the threat China poses is not a good look in light of everything we know now. Neither is telling Politico the controversy would not affect his position on the House Intelligence Committee:
“As the story referenced, this goes back to the beginning of the last decade, and it’s something that congressional leadership knew about it,” Swalwell said.
If that’s true, shame on Speaker Pelosi. Swalwell has just implicated her and the entire Democratic House leadership.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a feature, not a bug with Democrats. It is important to recall that Feinstein got a defensive briefing and no scrutiny regarding her family’s financial ties to China. All stories related to presumed president-elect Joe Biden’s family and their ties to firms linked to the CCP were also suppressed to avoid scrutiny. And now, the CCP is cheering some of Biden’s choices in the administration.
None of this should make any American happy or feel safe.
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