Swalwell Claims Investigation Is Over Despite Ongoing Scrutiny
California gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell declared in an unexpected press conference that “the case is closed,” even while FBI Director Kash Patel hints at releasing documents regarding a suspected Chinese spy who had connections to his office.
“This case is closed. The department indicated over a decade ago that all we did was assist,” Swalwell said on Monday, speaking briefly outside the Philip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco.
Standing alongside SEIU union leaders, Swalwell called out Patel, labeling him a “temporary employee” who has been abusing his power by investigating Swalwell and Christine Huang, a suspected Chinese Communist Party operative who had been linked to him since her tenure on the Dublin City Council.
Huang, who also goes by “Fan Phan,” is a student at California State University East Bay. They met at an Axios event, where she not only engaged with Swalwell but also helped fundraise for his campaign and suggested an intern for his office.
Reports suggest that officials from the Trump administration instructed FBI agents to gather records from a prolonged investigation into Swalwell’s connections with Huang. Allegedly, Huang left the U.S. in 2015 after developing close relationships with two mayors from the Midwest.
The call for these documents raised concerns during background checks, according to The New York Times. The files are notably large, containing significant personal and sensitive information.
Swalwell, seen as a leading candidate in California’s gubernatorial election, accused Trump and Patel of using federal law enforcement to meddle in the campaign.
“They assume that sneaking two Republicans past the June threshold lets them overlook the voters’ will. But that’s a decision for Californians, and they won’t relinquish it,” Swalwell stated.
He continued, “In about nine months, Democrats will hold the majority, and when we regain control of the House after the midterms, anyone who has acted against you or pressured you into wrongful actions will be summoned to hearings by my colleagues.”
Swalwell’s association with Huang gained attention when she was the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee and was involved in his gubernatorial campaign.
While both the FBI and the House Ethics Committee found no wrongdoing on Swalwell’s part, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy initiated a House ethics probe upon assuming the position in 2021.
Recently, in a podcast, Swalwell dismissed the allegations as “lies and bullshit,” stating, “Independent parties have already weighed in on this.”
His primary campaign committee, Swalwell for Congress, has reportedly spent over $305,000 since 2016 on unspecified “legal services” from a law firm known for white-collar defense and civil litigation.
A campaign spokesperson explained that these expenditures were necessary for legal advice amid what they termed President Trump’s “retaliatory investigation,” which they say endangered the “families and staff” affiliated with Swalwell.
