The House Ethics Committee cleared Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell of wrongdoing in his ties to Christine Fang, an alleged Chinese spy.
“The Committee will take no further action” against Swalwell, chairman Michael Guest of Mississippi and ranking member Susan Wild wrote in a letter released Tuesday by the Californian. The committee opened an investigation against Swalwell in 2021, after a complaint alleged he “violated House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct in connection with your interactions with Ms. Christine Fang.”
Fang, a volunteer on Swalwell’s 2014 House campaign, reportedly participated in fundraisers for Swalwell and placed an intern in his office. She also is accused of having romantic relationships with multiple mayors. Swalwell has repeatedly said he cut off contact with Fang after being briefed by the FBI on her Chinese government connections, although he has repeatedly declined to say whether or not he had a personal relationship with the alleged spy.
For years MAGA GOP has falsely smeared me to silence me. Today the Bipartisan Ethics Committee closed its investigation into a volunteer on our campaign w/o finding wrongdoing. My statement: pic.twitter.com/hbFDCl3iH2
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) May 23, 2023
“It’s time to move on. The bipartisan House Ethics Committee had this case for over two years. They had the power of subpoena. They received answers from me in response to requests for information. Today, they are closing this matter and did not make a finding of any wrongdoing,” Swalwell said in a statement Tuesday.
The committee urged Swalwell to “be conscious of the possibility that foreign governments may attempt to secure improper influence through gifts and other interactions” and recommended he “contact the Office of House Security for any guidance on steps you can take to prevent or address such attempts.” (RELATED: ‘Tip Of The Iceberg’: Biden Appointee’s Ties To Alleged Chinese Intel Groups Put Him In Legal Hot Water, Experts Say)
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy removed Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee in January, citing his interactions with Fang. The move was also a response to House Democrats’ removal of Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona from their committees in the 117th Congress.
“Swalwell can’t get a security clearance in the private sector. I’m not going to give him a government security clearance,” McCarthy said at the time.