Sen. Cotton Calls on Swalwell to Explain Ties to Christine Fang: ‘There is Nothing Classified About Eric Swalwell’s Life’

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Thursday called for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) to explain his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy, saying there was “nothing classified” about it.

“There is nothing classified about Eric Swalwell’s fundraising practices or his social life,” Cotton said in an interview on Fox News. “Until he comes forward and has a thorough and complete explanation for what happened … he should not sit on the House Intelligence Committee and have access to classified information.”

Swalwell, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, has been under fire from Republicans since a Monday report revealed that an alleged Chinese spy, Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, assisted Swalwell with fundraising in the early 2010s. Swalwell hired at least one intern at Fang’s behest, and has refused to deny that he engaged in a romantic relationship with Fang, suggesting that it might be “classified.”

The FBI provided Swalwell with a “defensive briefing” about Fang’s background in 2015, the same year she left the United States to return to China amid the bureau’s investigation. Swalwell said he cut ties with her after the issue came to light, though his father and brother remained friends with Fang on Facebook until Wednesday.

“He said in the last day or two he doesn’t know what happened to this woman or have any ties with them,” Cotton said, before alluding to Facebook. “Apparently, his brother and father were social media friends with her until yesterday. So he needs to come forward and give a full explanation of what his relationship with her was, when the FBI alerted him that she was a literal Chinese spy.”

Republicans who sit the House and Senate intelligence committees, including Cotton, denied being aware of the issue prior to this week. Asked about it at her weekly press conference on Thursday, however, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said congressional leaders had been briefed on it 2015.

“I don’t have any concerns about Mr. Swalwell,” she added. “When that was made known to members of Congress, that was over, you know, that was the end of any communication with those people.”

Watch above via Fox News.

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