Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) criticized Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) relationship with a suspected Chinese spy in a tweet on Thursday.
“More than once, I’ve said ‘screw the Chinese communists.’ Little did I know how closely Swalwell was listening,” Cruz wrote:
The senator’s comments follow an Axios report that said alleged spy Christine Fang developed extensive ties with local and national Democrat politicians, including Swalwell, between 2011 and 2015:
Fang gained access to these politicians through campaign fundraising, networking, personal charisma, and even “romantic or sexual relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors,” according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials and a former elected official.
Although 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 told Axios.
On Wednesday, Fox News asked Swalwell’s office whether his relationship with Fang was ever sexual or romantic.
“His office said they had no comment other than what they had told Axios,” the outlet stated.
During an appearance Thursday on Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said Swalwell should not be on the House Intelligence Committee because he has been “jeopardizing national security”:
They are getting secrets that other members of Congress never are able to see, and now we have Eric Swalwell, whose [sic] been swindled by the Chinese, but what’s even more interesting here is why did he attack the American Director of Intelligence John Ratcliffe’s report, talking about the expansion of China spying throughout? Just last week, he attacked the director, John Ratcliffe, defending China. This man should not be in the Intel Committee. He’s jeopardizing national security. What is being said in those meetings inside the SCIF that we don’t want other people to hear or listen?
“You cannot take in your watch. You cannot take in your phone, but here, we have an individual, who Nancy Pelosi — this is the real question — when did Nancy Pelosi know of this, and why did she maintain him on the committee?” he stated.