On Wednesday, March 20, Florida Republican Mike Waltz torched California Democrat Eric Swalwell over the California representative’s sexual relationship with a Chinese spy named “Fang Fang.” Joking about Rep. Swalwell’s former relationship during the hearing, Rep. Waltz joked that Rep. Swalwell “knows a thing or two about how China penetrates our government.”
As background, Fang Fang entered the United States from China as a college student in 2011. Once in America, she wooed lawmakers, including Swalwell, then a state politician, to get close to sensitive government information. Fang Fang served on Swalwell’s 2014 campaign, helping him raise funds, and the FBI alerted him to the potential danger she posed in 2015. Rep. Swalwell was never accused of wrongdoing by the FBI over the relationship, and the FBI said he was helpful in investigating the matter. He also cut off all contact with her after finding out that the FBI was conducting a counter-intelligence investigation into her.
Explaining as much in a statement released after the conclusion of the House investigation into his relationship, Rep. Swalwell said, “Nearly 10 years ago I assisted the FBI in their counterintelligence investigation of a campaign volunteer. The case and my assistance were briefed to Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner, and two years later, Republican Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, re-appointed me to the House Intelligence Committee. Neither Speaker questioned my actions nor politicized my cooperation. Despite the FBI repeatedly saying I was nothing but helpful and never accused of wrongdoing, this complaint was filed by a House Republican.”
Despite that, the matter has remained a tool Republicans, particularly in the House and commentariat, use to attack him. Such was the case on March 20, when Rep. Waltz joked during the hearing on the impeachment inquiry into President Biden that Rep. Swalwell would know about Chinese penetration of the American government.
Skewering Rep. Swalwell and his past relationship with a double-entendre that included some funny sexual innuendo, Rep. Waltz said, “I find it incredibly rich Mr. Swalwell was going to come to this committee and lecture us about how China penetrates our government. I think that’s something he may know a thing or two about.”
Continuing, Rep. Waltz moved from the sexual innuendo to the more serious topic of alleged CCP penetration of the “highest levels” of the United States government, penetration he alleged includes the Biden White House. He said, “But let’s talk about how China has penetrated the highest levels of this government, including this president and this White House.”
Watch him here:
Rep. Waltz is far from the first to make a joke about the Fang Fang debacle at Rep. Swalwell’s expense. Tucker Carlson, for example, said when Rep. Swalwell was accused of improperly spending campaign funds on lavish trips, “When he’s not shagging Chinese spies, he gets to travel all over the world at his donors’ expense… If he wants to he can hang out on the beach in a Hawaiian shirt with an umbrella drink, gold chains, and a chest wig.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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