Axios: Suspected Chinese Spy Helped Fundraise for Climate Radical Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA)

Guest essay by Eric Worrall

h/t Breitbart; Axios claims a suspected Chinese spy attempted to infiltrate and influence the Obama administration, with an alleged string of sordid sexual liaisons and political activities, including prolific fundraising for Green New Deal supporter Eric Swalwell (D-CA). Note there is no suggestion the targets of the alleged espionage were aware of any nefarious activity.

Exclusive: Suspected Chinese spy targeted California politicians

Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, Zach Dorfman of the Aspen Institute

A suspected Chinese intelligence operative developed extensive ties with local and national politicians, including a U.S. congressman, in what U.S. officials believe was a political intelligence operation run by China’s main civilian spy agency between 2011 and 2015, Axios found in a yearlong investigation.

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The woman at the center of the operation, a Chinese national named Fang Fang or Christine Fang, targeted up-and-coming local politicians in the Bay Area and across the country who had the potential to make it big on the national stage. 

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Among the most significant targets of Fang’s efforts was Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). 

• Fang took part in fundraising activity for Swalwell’s 2014 re-election campaign, according to a Bay Area political operative and a current U.S. intelligence official. Swalwell’s office was directly aware of these activities on its behalf, the political operative said. That same political operative, who witnessed Fang fundraising on Swalwell’s behalf, found no evidence of illegal contributions.
• Federal Election Commission records don’t indicate Fang herself made donations, which are prohibited from foreign nationals.
• Fang helped place at least one intern in Swalwell’s office, according to those same two people, and interacted with Swalwell at multiple events over the course of several years.

A statement from Swalwell’s office provided to Axios 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.”

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• Fang helped with a fundraiser for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) in 2013, according to a flyer from the event Fang shared on Facebook. She appeared in photos over multiple years with a host of California politicians, including Khanna, Swalwell, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and then-Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.).

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• She positioned herself “to be the connector between the Asian American community and members of Congress,” recalled a Bay Area political operative who knew her.

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Read more: https://www.axios.com/china-spy-california-politicians-9d2dfb99-f839-4e00-8bd8-59dec0daf589.html

While serving on the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Rep Eric Swalwell pushed hard for the acceptance of radical climate positions.

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One freshman on the Democratic side couldn’t resist adding his own brand of insults, aimed not at the witness but at his Republican colleagues. “I have to say that, frankly, Dr. Holdren, at this point you should be prepared to address whether the Earth is round or flat, or whether indeed gravity is happening. You just never know what could fly at you,” said Representative Eric Swalwell (D–CA), whose northern California district includes two Energy Department national laboratories. His scorn also took him far afield from the subject of the hearing.

“And I have to say that, with 97% of scientists stating that climate change is manmade, I’m encouraged to see that some of my colleagues from across the aisle have given voice to the minority 3%,” Swalwell continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “This is encouraging for the other minorities that my colleagues across the aisle have not helped out, including immigrants waiting for comprehensive immigration reform, women who have not received equal pay for equal work, and those who are affected by changes in the Voting Rights Act.”

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Read more: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/03/house-science-panel-hearing-sarcasm-rules

Swalwell currently serves on the House Intelligence Committee. Swalwell reportedly thinks the spy scandal story is President Trump’s fault.

It is difficult to know whether the alleged Chinese spy genuinely wanted to help radical green Democrat candidates like Swalwell, or whether she just used her fundraising efforts and other activities to stroke egos and gather information. And of course, there may be active Chinese spies working to infiltrate other parties just as hard as Fang allegedly worked a string of Democrat politicians.