Rep. Eric Swalwell is back in the national spotlight for the first time since news of his association with a Chinese spy swept the headlines.
The California Democrat, a House impeachment manager, on Wednesday presented evidence on the Senate floor in support of convicting former President Donald Trump on the “incitement of insurrection” impeachment article.
“This was a deliberate, premeditated incitement to his base to attack our Capitol while the counting was going on. And it was foreseeable, especially to President Trump who warned us he knew what was coming,” Swalwell said.
While presenting evidence, Swalwell noted a tweet from Trump that said, “DEAD PEOPLE VOTED” and claimed that Trump offered no evidence to back up his claim. The tweet from Trump, though, did include a video from a Tucker Carlson Tonight segment that relayed dead people voting, though Carlson later had to correct that segment after several of those people were found to be alive.
Some Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, are happy to use the spy scandal to distract from Swalwell’s impeachment arguments.
“That’s an interesting choice. I mean, ask my colleagues,” Hawley told reporters Wednesday during a break in the Trump impeachment trial. “Somebody who’s part of a Chinese espionage ring effectively, so it’s a provocative choice. I will say that.”
And Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, issued a sarcastic tweet about Swalwell’s role in the impeachment trial.
“This afternoon we have been lectured to by Eric Swalwell, a guy accused of consorting with a Chinese spy. How appropriate!” Paul tweeted Wednesday.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is also scoffing at Swalwell’s inclusion among the House managers.
“They’ve got Swalwell coming in. I do hope he gives some remarks on improving our relations with China. He has a novel approach to that,” Cruz quipped on Fox News Tuesday night.
The Democrats’ impeachment is partisan political theater.
It will end in failure. pic.twitter.com/qdg0PaH6et
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 10, 2021
News broke in December that Swalwell was associated with a Chinese spy named Christine Fang, who conducted an extensive political influence operation between 2011 and 2015 in California’s Bay Area and elsewhere. She also had romantic relationships with two Midwestern mayors. Swalwell later cooperated with the FBI during its investigation into her activities, but he has refused to publicly say what the extent of his relationship with her was.
The news prompted congressional Republicans to call for Swalwell’s removal from the powerful House Intelligence Committee. The announcement of Swalwell as an impeachment manager in January promoted another round of Republican criticism.
His relationship with the spy was also brought up when Democrats removed Georgia Republican Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene from House committees last week over her past support of conspiracy theories.
Greene chimed in on Swalwell as he took the Senate floor on Wednesday. “China is applauding your efforts Rep Swalwell,” she tweeted.
