Those were among the defenses senior Democrats mounted on former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s behalf as former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tried to force the California Democrat off the powerful House Intelligence Committee over his relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine 'Fang Fang' Fang.
asserted
McCarthy → mount → operative
Now, newly declassified FBI records and a raid on his home are casting fresh light on Swalwell's relationship with Fang Fang that Democrats denied and previously argued did not justify McCarthy’s actions.
asserted
Democrats → declassify → actions
The newly declassified records, released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force Monday, detail two FBI interviews with Swalwell, both conducted as part of a broader investigation examining Fang Fang’s involvement with illicit campaign contributions, funneling interns to Swalwell's office and other activity.
asserted
records → declassify → office
Meanwhile, FBI agents seized Swalwell's electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night, while his Washington, D.C. residence was subsequently searched the following day, as part of a probe into sexual misconduct.
asserted
residence → seize → misconduct
"I sat in on that briefing.
asserted
I → sit → briefing
And when Kevin McCarthy misrepresents it and does that disservice to the American people, it’s shameful," then-Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said in January 2023 as McCarthy blocked Swalwell from returning to the Intelligence Committee.
asserted
McCarthy → misrepresent → Committee
Schiff, who had chaired the House Intelligence Committee, added that Swalwell had "served honorably" on the panel, had "never been accused of any kind of wrongdoing" and called McCarthy’s criticism a "patently unfair smear."
asserted
Swalwell → chair → criticism
"Mr. Speaker, I have rarely heard such pernicious nonsense as we heard from the minority leader a few minutes ago.
asserted
we → hear → leader
He accused Mr. Swalwell of having a Chinese spy or Chinese agent in his campaign.
asserted
He → accuse → campaign
I understand he has introduced a resolution to remove Mr. Swalwell from his committee for that purpose," Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said during remarks from the House floor.
asserted
Nadler → understand → floor
And I think Mr. McCarthy ought to be ashamed because he is an experienced campaigner—he knows this—for raising these spurious allegations."
asserted
he → think → allegations
The newly declassified files show for the first time publicly that the FBI’s concerns about Swalwell went beyond just the fact he had a romantic relationship with Fang Fang, which Swalwell admitted to in the interviews uncovered in the file.
asserted
Swalwell → declassify → file
The declassified documents also showed agents had launched a full investigation tied to Fang Fang examining possible bribery, foreign campaign contributions and efforts to trade access to Swalwell and congressional internships for political donations.
asserted
agents → declassify → donations
The records also show how the FBI viewed Fang as a significant counterintelligence concern, suspecting ties to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) and at one point attempting to recruit her as an FBI confidential source.
asserted
FBI → show → source
Investigators ultimately did not find evidence that Swalwell participated in a quid-pro-quo scheme or committed federal corruption violations, and he was removed as a subject of the investigation in 2017.
asserted
he → find → 2017
Separately, the bipartisan House Ethics Committee closed its investigation into Swalwell’s interactions with Fang in May 2023 without taking further action against him.
uncertain
Committee → close → him
Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also publicly defended Swalwell as the controversy first erupted in December 2020, saying, "I don’t have any concern about Mr. Swalwell" when asked about whether increased security should be tied to positions of influence in Congress.
asserted
security → defend → Congress
Her office separately said Pelosi had "full confidence in Congressman Swalwell’s service in the Congress and on the Intelligence Committee."
asserted
Pelosi → say → Committee
Pelosi and McCarthy later received a classified FBI briefing on the matter in December 2020.
asserted
Pelosi → receive → December
McCarthy emerged from the briefing saying Swalwell "should not be on Intel," while Pelosi continued to back the California Democrat, who was later reappointed to the Intelligence Committee in March 2021.
asserted
who → emerge → March
"The knowledge that I have of what transpired and the actions that he has done and the behavior, especially when he's gone to other countries, I would be very leery of him in any position of that can have sensitive information," McCarthy previously told Fox News Digital earlier this year.
asserted
McCarthy → have → Digital
"The recklessness in which he lived his life, the reports that have come back, I think it would be hard for him to ever even be considered as a governor candidate, period."
asserted
him → live → candidate
Then-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer likewise dismissed McCarthy’s effort to remove Swalwell as a "frivolous, political exercise" intended to "attack the reputation of an outstanding Member of Congress."
asserted
Hoyer → dismiss → Congress
Hoyer also described the Republican push as a "spurious attempt."
asserted
Hoyer → describe → attempt
And in January 2023, then-Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., went further in defending Swalwell, saying on CNN that "the FBI has clearly stated that Swalwell … has been cleared."
asserted
Swalwell → go → CNN
Gallego said Swalwell and Schiff "have not done anything incorrectly" and rejected the suggestion that they posed a national-security threat.
asserted
they → say → threat
Fox News Digital reached out to the top Democrats mentioned in this article, but did not hear back in time for publication.
asserted
Digital → reach → publication
The Aporia
