(The Center Square) – Newly declassified documents from the FBI show former Democratic California Congressman Eric Swalwell admitted to an affair with a Chinese spy, with investigators calling into question whether Swalwell accepted campaign contributions in exchange for internships.
The investigation from over a decade ago centers on a Chinese national, Fang Fang, also known as Christine Fang. The documents highlight China’s attempts to infiltrate the U.S. political system, while exposing vulnerabilities.
The investigation, which began in 2014, revealed that Swalwell admitted to an intimate physical relationship with Fang. The newly declassified FBI records released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force call into question illicit campaign contributions initiated by Fang for Swalwell, raising concerns about Fang supplying interns to Swalwell’s office and campaign.
The documents described Fang as a “Chinese foreign national residing in the United, States,” who was the “facilitator of a scheme to trade access to Swalwell and internships in his congressional office in return for campaign contributions,” potentially in violation of the law.
The documents continued by saying, “many of these contributions were made by foreign nationals and/or utilized conduits in violation of federal law. In at least two cases, Fang used conduits to conceal herself as a prohibited foreign national source.”
“Analysis of financial records demonstrated Fang orchestrated conduit campaign contributions to Swalwell’s campaign at least twice in 2013 and at least two more times in 2014. The 2013 conduits trace to Fang herself, a foreign national, which make them an illegal source of campaign contributions,” according to the documents. “Fang told [redacted] she could arrange a meeting with Swalwell in exchange for a $5,000 contribution to Swalwell’s campaign. She also stated that she could arrange for an internship within Swalwell’s office, but that the internship would cost more.”
During a 2016 FBI interview, Swalwell, who was elected to Congress in 2012, told investigators that he believed anyone recommended by Fang came through the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association.
It’s unclear exactly how many interns were given internships in Swalwell’s congressional office, or their immigration status.
The FBI ultimately could not find evidence that the disgraced former congressman participated in a quid pro quo scheme, removing him as the subject of their investigation.
However, it raises concerns over the possible vulnerabilities of noncitizens serving as interns in Congress.
Congress.gov notes that members of Congress are given “broad discretion to determine who works in their offices, but different laws, rules and considerations may apply to a noncitizen's potential service, based on the individual's status, particularly if the individual receives pay.”
It adds, “conflict-of-interest considerations may affect the responsibilities an office chooses to assign to a foreign-national intern. Interns who are foreign-nationals should not be assigned duties that might influence U.S. policy in a way that benefits the intern's home country.”
While the status of the interns Fang recommended to Swalwell’s office is unknown, it is important to note that the former congressman served on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Intelligence Committee.
The Center Square reached out to the U.S. Capitol Police to request information on security screenings and background checks of interns working for members of Congress; however, they did not respond in time for publication.
