Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz commented Thursday on how Eric Swalwell has pleaded national security concerns when asked if his relationship with an accused Chinese spy was sexual, saying former President Bill Clinton is probably wishing he’d thought of that.
“[Swalwell] also said that his sex life was classified. I know somewhere Bill Clinton is probably kicking himself saying ‘why didn’t I think of that when people started asking about my romantic follies,’” Gaetz told “Fox & Friends.”
U.S. intelligence officials say that Christine Fang, an alleged Chinese spy also known as Fang Fang, infiltrated the offices of multiple politicians in the San Francisco area — including Swalwell, Axios reported Monday night. Democratic California Rep. Swalwell has refused to discuss whether his relationship with Fang was purely professional or not. His office has responded to media queries that the issue is “classified.”
Swalwell said Wednesday, “They are not going to silence me,” and suggested he did nothing wrong while he was involved with Fang.
Gaetz also noted during his Fox interview “that Democrats are newly frustrated with leaks from the FBI and the Department of Justice. I don’t really remember their outrage when [former National Security Advisor] Gen. Michael Flynn was being smeared with these leaks that were false saying that he was somehow improperly engaging with Russia when, in fact, general Flynn was saying that we needed to focus on China.” (RELATED: ‘Pee Tape Truther’ Eric Swalwell Was ‘The Pot Calling The Kettle Black’ Over Relationship With Alleged Chinese Spy)
“But when Eric Swalwell engages in a very close relationship with clearly an agent of communist China, well that’s deemed as something we can just accept and move on. My suspicion is you’ll continue to hear Republicans very critical.”
Gaetz joked that “Eric Swalwell is here to help. In fact, he wants to help so much in confronting China that he spent years super spreading the lies of the Russia hoax.” He added that Swalwell could have used his energies and position as a member of the House Intelligence Committee to investigate the threat from China.
“Instead, he purposefully distracted the country and he hurt our national security as a consequence.”
Gaetz agreed that the media response to the Swalwell story has been extremely limited and speculated what their reaction would be if he, Gaetz, was the congressman involved with an alleged Chinese spy.
“If I was dating a waitress at a Chinese restaurant they would be burning a hole through my front door with the mainstream media’s you know, lights and cameras.” (RELATED: Tucker Carlson: ‘Eric Swalwell … Used His Office To Promote Beijing’s Talking Points’ While Sitting On The House Intelligence Committee)
Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks to the crowd during the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention on June 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Gaetz insisted that “the same double standard” could be applied to how the FBI and the Department of Justice investigate accusations of wrongdoing against politicians.
“When Democrats are targeted by foreign intelligence they get a defensive briefing. When Republicans are targeted they get impeachment’s, investigations and threats of jail time. So it really is a double standard.”