Eric Swalwell, a candidate for governor in California, is addressing concerns about a Chinese spy who reportedly infiltrated his office. This situation has led to a Congressional ethics investigation and has raised questions, especially since around $300,000 in legal fees were paid from his campaign funds during this time.
In a recent podcast discussion, Swalwell labeled the accusations as a political attack, asserting that he has been cleared of any misconduct. “When there was even a hint of irregularities, the FBI quickly put those concerns to rest,” he remarked in his conversation.
“People are tired of hearing about this. Honestly, I think defamation, in a way, is a form of flattery,” Swalwell added, dismissing the situation as “falsehoods and nonsense.” He pointed out that the FBI had confirmed, “He merely assisted us in identifying a potential issue.”
The suspected Chinese agent, Christine Huang, who is also known as Fan Huang, reportedly had a significant relationship with Swalwell dating back to his time on the Dublin city council. She was involved in collecting donations for his 2014 re-election and suggested candidates for his staff.
Huang, a former student at California State University, East Bay, operated secretly as a spy, targeting rising political figures, including Swalwell, while also engaging in personal relationships with various officials throughout the Midwest.
Her connection with Swalwell reportedly began while he was a city councilor. Federal agents were deeply disturbed by her actions, leading them to provide Swalwell with a “defensive” briefing around 2015. By January 2015, Swalwell had secured a position on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, granting him access to sensitive national security details.
Although both the FBI and the House Ethics Committee have cleared Swalwell of any wrongdoing in the espionage situation, it has nonetheless affected his campaign for governor, where he is seen as a leading Democrat. Recently, he had a public argument with Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, regarding the Fang situation, after Portnoy shared a photo of Swalwell alongside the Chinese spy, questioning how politicians could be deceived by foreign operatives.
Portnoy noted on social media, “Hi Eric, I didn’t know who you were, but when I looked you up, it said you were taken off the House Intelligence Committee because your office was compromised by a Chinese spy named Fangfang.”
While Swalwell wasn’t quickly removed from the committee based on his ties to Huang, a House Ethics Committee investigation was initiated during Kevin McCarthy’s speakership in 2021.
“McCarthy was looking to create a narrative,” Swalwell said. “If someone is merely acting on the president’s directives, there’s little I can do.”
Swalwell claimed this situation comes with the territory of being involved in politics.
On another note, Swalwell’s main campaign committee, Swalwell for Congress, has spent $305,000 between 2016 and 2023 on unspecified legal services from Koblenz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, a firm that specializes in civil litigation and white-collar defense rather than election-related matters.
Payments varied, ranging from $250 to over $36,000.
A campaign spokesperson explained that these fees were necessary for legal advice following what they described as a “retaliatory investigation” initiated by President Donald Trump that put Swalwell’s family and staff in danger.
Reese Morgan, an attorney from the law firm involved, stated, “I was enlisted as outside counsel to ensure that the congressman’s office was fully compliant with all relevant laws and prepared for potential interactions with politically motivated individuals.”
