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.
While this suspected operative’s activities appear to have ended during the Obama administration, concerns about Beijing’s influence operations have spanned President Trump’s time in office. 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.
Through campaign fundraising, extensive networking, personal charisma, and romantic or sexual relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors, Fang was able to gain proximity to political power, according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials and one former elected official.
Among the most significant targets of Fang’s efforts was CA Rep. Eric Swalwell.
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.
FLASHBACK: In January 2019, Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell said Russia was our "number one geopolitical foe."
However, a Chinese spy had "close ties" with Swalwell & she fundraised for him.
Why is Swalwell blind to China's threat?
Pictured below, Swalwell with the Chinese spy. https://t.co/IqBBDFTsjz pic.twitter.com/8u0bXRpRXX
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 8, 2020
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:
“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.”
Even though U.S. officials do not believe Fang received or passed on classified information, the case “was a big deal, because there were some really, really sensitive people that were caught up” in the intelligence network, a current senior U.S. intelligence official said.
So Rep Swalwell who spent years saying I was an agent of Russia was literally sleeping with a Chinese spy at the time.
You can’t make this stuff up. How can this compromised individual/moron continue to sit on an intelligence committee? https://t.co/NkU6F5Ctre
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 8, 2020
But back in July 2020, Rep. Swalwell complained on MSNBC about the Trump Administration warning Americans of Chinese Interference threats…It’s all starting to make sense!
WATCH:
FLASHBACK: In July 2020, Swalwell Complains Trump Admin Is Warning Americans Of Chinese Interference Threat.
It's all starting to make sense!!! pic.twitter.com/BYTFVnyPee
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 8, 2020
Amid a widening counterintelligence probe, federal investigators became so alarmed by Fang’s behavior and activities that around 2015 they alerted Swalwell to their concerns — giving him what is known as a defensive briefing, according to Axios.
Fox News Host Tucker Carlson weighed in on Chinese Interference segmenting a video deleted from Chinese social media of a professor saying that China “has people at the top of America’s core inner circle of power & influence.”
Tucker Carlson segment on a video deleted from Chinese social media of a professor saying that China "has people at the top of America's core inner circle of power & influence." pic.twitter.com/h3Ygy6UlHk
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 8, 2020
The bottom line: U.S. officials believe Fang’s real reason for being in the U.S was to gather political intelligence and to influence rising U.S. officials on China-related issues.