Dem rep notoriously linked to Chinese spy says he is a ‘victim’ of intelligence weaponization

Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was once targeted by a Chinese spy, described himself as a victim of the American intelligence community’s abuses on Wednesday.

Swalwell, who was targeted by a Chinese influence operation focused on up-and-coming Bay Area politicians, described himself as a “victim of the weaponization of the intelligence community,” which looked into his relationship with the spy, Fang Fang, according to Axios. He made the comments during a Judiciary Committee markup hearing for the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act, which would rein in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and shut backdoors allowing the government to purchase Americans’ data from technology firms without a warrant.

“I want to speak, though, to a larger concern that I have with the bill,” Swalwell said. “And I first want to speak personally, because there’s nobody on this committee who has been a bigger victim of the weaponization of the intelligence community than me. I have had my cell phone data subpoenaed and procured by the Trump administration. In 2012, in a district with 40% Asian Americans, an Asian volunteer helped my campaign. I was later asked by the FBI to help the FBI understand who this person was.”

Fang targeted Swalwell in the mid-2010s as part of a larger Chinese influence and espionage scheme, according to Axios, She helped Swalwell fundraise, and she also helped to place an intern in his office.

Federal investigators learned that she had engaged in sexual activity with at least two Midwestern mayors as part of the scheme, Axios reported, prompting speculation that Swalwell may have been intimate with her, as well.

In his remarks criticizing the bill, Swalwell also mentioned that former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy removed him from the House Intelligence Committee in January. The two men reportedly got into a heated confrontation outside the House chamber in June.

Swalwell’s office did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

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