Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell claimed Tuesday that releasing files about his alleged ties to a Chinese spy would be an abuse of power.
In a cease-and-desist letter sent to FBI Director Kash Patel Monday, Swalwell threatened legal action to prevent the release of files regarding his alleged affair with Christine Fang, who reportedly worked with Communist China’s Ministry of State Security, NBC News reported. Swalwell told “The Briefing” guest host Michael Steele that the release of the files would be comparable to alleged abuses by the late FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
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“The case is closed on this decade-old file during Barack Obama’s presidency. I mean, that’s how old this is and every finding was that when we were approached by the FBI, we helped them, we cooperated,” Swalwell claimed. “We wanted them to be able to do their job, and now to in who knows what way they’re accused now in this reporting of working with the Chinese government to try and have the individual that they thought was spying, they want to work with the government to try and smear a political opponent, I mean, it’s just absurd. It’s absolutely absurd.”
“But as my lawyer, one of our lawyers told me today, and this really kind of stops you right in your tracks, he said, ‘If they do this, it will be the greatest abuse of power by an FBI director since J. Edgar Hoover,’” Swalwell continued.
Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Fang, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee Jan. 24, 2023, citing Swalwell’s reported relationship with Fang. Swalwell accused President Donald Trump of trying to suppress women’s votes and threatened those who did not defy Trump and Patel over the files.
“And so those are the stakes, that we would allow the FBI to just go after the president’s political enemies at a time that we see the president equally trying to get rid of mail-in voting, preventing women from being able to vote,” Swalwell said. “We can lose these freedoms like that, Michael. And it’s coming if enough of us, particularly those inside the building right now, who are being asked to do this dirty work, if they don’t step up.”
“And for those who are doing the dirty work, you will be in front of congressional committees in no time,” Swalwell continued. “And those that speak out, you will be protected.”
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