Swalwell Takes His Case to CNN
Rep. Eric Swalwell used a Friday CNN appearance to warn FBI agents who, he said, are being asked to break the law every day. He made the claim while talking about Trump’s move to fire Pam Bondi as attorney general, but he did not offer proof. CNN then asked the obvious question: what evidence do you have? Swalwell pointed to reporting from The Washington Post and The New York Times and said the bureau was being pushed to collude with the Chinese government in California’s governor’s race. That is a serious charge, which usually calls for more than a TV warning and a few headlines.
The Fight Over the FBI Files
The larger fight is over what FBI files may be released next. According to The Washington Post, Swalwell’s lawyers sent FBI Director Kash Patel a cease-and-desist letter this week, telling the bureau not to release decade-old investigative files tied to the congressman’s old contacts with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. The letter said there was no reason to release the records, argued that Swalwell had helped the FBI’s probe, and warned that releasing the files could create legal liability. In Washington, a cease-and-desist letter is often just a panic note dressed up as legal caution.
Why Fang Fang Keeps Coming Up
The name at the center of the dispute is Fang Fang, also known as Christine Fang. Axios reported that she bundled money for Swalwell and other Democrats, and other reporting has said she had an intimate relationship with him. A Capitol Hill source quoted by The Federalist later said Swalwell had a sexual relationship with her. Swalwell has not been accused of wrongdoing in the matter, but the story keeps resurfacing because the political class loves to call everything a smear right up until the file cabinet starts talking. The public usually notices when institutions demand trust while also trying to keep the receipts locked away.
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW.
Leave a Comment