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Eric Swalwell-Christine Fang row resurfaces amid apology to wife Brittany over sexual assault allegations
Lawmaker Eric Swalwell has been accused of sexual assault and his past relationship with Fang Fang, suspected of being a Chinese spy, has resurfaced.
Democrat lawmaker from California, Eric Swalwell, has been accused of sexually assaulting his former staffer. The 45-year-old has apologized to his wife Brittany Ann Watts, while denying the allegations and saying they're politically motivated.
However, Swalwell's recent controversy had led to his old relationship with Fang Fang, suspected of being a Chinese spy, returning to the spotlight.
“Why is this worse than being chummy with Fan Fang , the Communist Chinese spy????,” one person asked on X. Another added “He slept with a Chinese spy named Fang Fang and endangered national security...and it was just fine for him to remain in the House of Representatives. They want him out of the governor's race. Everything else is fiction.”
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Yet another remarked “It has long been known that he was compromised by the Chinese Spy Fang Fang in a honey trap.”
Swalwell and Fang Fang's association has been a part of political discussions for some time. In 2023, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was in the Congress herself, at the time, had remarked on X “First, Eric Swalwell has relations w/ Chinese spy, Fang Fang. Now, he aided & abetted Hunter Biden to defy a subpoena in our @GOPoversight investigation into the Biden Crime Family. The House needs to hold him accountable for being Hunter’s accomplice.”
In March this year, it was reported that Swalwell was threatening to sue the FBI as the bureau mulled releasing files on his relationship with suspected Chinese spy Fang Fang. As per the report, the letter sent to Kash Patel's FBI argued that releasing the files would violate federal privacy law.
What to know about Eric Swalwell and Fang Fang?
Christine Fang or Fang Fang is believed to be a Chinese intelligence operative. She is believed to have developed extensive ties with local and national politicians, including Swalwell. As per an Axios investigation, the operation is believed to have been run by China’s main civilian spy agency between 2011 and 2015.
The article from 2020 identified Swalwell as one of the ‘most significant targets’ of Fang Fang. Fang took part in fundraising activity for Swalwell’s 2014 re-election campaign, the article noted. She helped place at least one intern in Swalwell's office and interacted with the California lawmaker at multiple events over the course of many years.
Swalwell had been informed of Fang's activities by federal investigators and reportedly cut ties with her after that. Fang herself reportedly left the country unexpected mid 2015, amid the investigation. Fang's ties with Swalwell began when he was a councilmember for Dublin City, California.
Her earlier known engagement was reportedly through the Chinese Student Association. At the time, Swalwell's office, in a statement had said “Rep. Swalwell, long ago, provided information about this person — whom he met more than eight years ago, and whom he hasn’t seen in nearly six years — to the FBI. To protect information that might be classified, he will not participate in your story.”
