House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy renewed his goal to get Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell removed from the House Intelligence Committee.
McCarthy, who announced his latest plan Friday, said he’ll file a resolution next week, stating that Swalwell “should not be on the panel in charge of guarding our nation’s secrets.”
The impetus behind McCarthy’s effort is the 2011-2015 relationship between Swalwell and Christine Fang, a Chinese national believed to be working with China’s Ministry of State Security. Their connection, which Swalwell has refused to describe in detail, predated his time in Congress, and he has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
ERIC SWALWELL SHOULD BE KICKED OFF INTEL COMMITTEE AND STRIPPED OF SECURITY CLEARANCE, EXPERTS SAY
“Pelosi just reappointed Eric Swalwell to the Intelligence Committee. Based on the briefing she and I received together, Swalwell should not be on the panel in charge of guarding our nation’s secrets,” McCarthy tweeted. “Next week, I will offer a resolution to remove him from the Intel Committee.”
Pelosi just reappointed Eric Swalwell to the Intelligence Committee. Based on the briefing she and I received together, Swalwell should not be on the panel in charge of guarding our nation’s secrets.
Next week, I will offer a resolution to remove him from the Intel Committee.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) March 12, 2021
Fang “took part in fundraising activity for Swalwell’s 2014 re-election campaign” as a “bundler,” although a political operative said they “found no evidence of illegal contributions” and the Federal Election Commission does not show Fang making donations in her name, according to Axios. The Chinese national reportedly helped put at least one intern in the congressman’s office and interacted with Swalwell at various events over several years’ time.
“I’m eager to continue the important work of protecting Americans and supporting the hard-working heroes of our intelligence community, and I thank Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Schiff for their support and confidence,” Swalwell told the Washington Examiner in response to questions about McCarthy’s latest push.
Swalwell has maintained his innocence and said he ended his relationship with Fang immediately after being informed of concerns by federal investigators. Despite that, and his support from fellow Democrats (including Speaker Nancy Pelosi), top Republicans, including McCarthy, demanded that Swalwell be removed from the panel.
The FBI held a briefing for McCarthy and Pelosi in December 2020 on the topic, although the details of that meeting remain secret.
“The Intel Committee is a special committee. It’s a committee that keeps our secrets. It’s a committee that knows our secrets. It’s a committee that has a lot of information that members of Congress do not,” the California Republican said that day. “I just think there are 200 other Democrats that I know who can fill that place long before this individual should be serving.”
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Swalwell, who has served on the House Intelligence Committee since 2015, has since blamed the leaking of the story and questioning from Republicans on a revenge campaign by the Trump administration over his role in Russiagate.
McCarthy’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
