WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Eric Swalwell from California battles FBI Director Kash Patel in a heated Washington showdown. Swalwell acts fast to stop the FBI from sharing files on a 10-year-old probe.
Those files link him to Christine “Fang Fang” Fang, a woman suspected of spying for China. She got close to several California Democrats back in the early 2010s.
Swalwell’s lawyers fired off a cease-and-desist letter to Patel on Monday. They demand he drop all plans to release the records right away. The probe never led to charges against Swalwell. For example, the Associated Press got a copy of the letter.
Top lawyers Sean Hecker and Norm Eisen signed it. They warn that Patel risks big legal trouble for himself, the FBI, and others. “You aim to smear him and hurt his run for California governor,” they state. They add that sharing the files breaks federal laws in key ways.
The letter sets a deadline. It asks Patel and the FBI to confirm in writing by Wednesday that they won’t release anything. So far, no public reply has come out.
Old Spy Probe Comes Back to Life
This story goes back over 10 years. Fang helped Swalwell raise funds. She also placed an intern in his office during his 2014 campaign. She first connected with his team in 2012 as he ran for Congress. Federal agents warned Swalwell in 2015.
They also briefed Congress then. Swalwell cut ties after that, he says.
No one ever charged him with anything wrong. A House Ethics probe started in 2021. It ended two years later with no action. The Justice Department skipped charges, too.
However, the case stirs again now. Critics point to the timing as no accident. FBI staff in California collect and edit documents now. They prep them for top Trump officials, says the New York Times. It cites three sources who know. The Washington Post broke the story first. They note this public release would break norms for cases without charges.
In addition, the Post reports something wild. The FBI eyes a visa for Fang to visit the U.S. She could talk to agents about Swalwell. Agents rarely do that with accused foreign spies.
Eric Swalwell Calls It Election Meddling
Swalwell speaks out strongly. He leads in the June 2 California governor’s primary. He sees the FBI push as a Trump White House trick to sway the race.
“It’s just 34 days until voting starts in California,” he told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Monday. “Polls show us out front. The president wants his pick out West.”
On CNN, he calls any file release straight corruption. He compares it to J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI days, known for dirty politics.
Swalwell hits harder online. “Great reporting shows how far the White House goes after rivals,” he posted. “Trump fights me because I’m the frontrunner now, not just because of the governor race. Still, Trump and Patel don’t choose our governor. Voters do.”
Why Swalwell’s Team Says It’s Illegal
His lawyers list clear reasons to block the release. First, it breaks the 1974 Privacy Act. It also hits Swalwell’s First Amendment rights. “He helped the FBI in a closed case with no charges against him,” they write. “No real law enforcement need exists here.” Plus, it could harm sources and methods.
They call it pure politics, too. “You target him for his views. That violates the First Amendment,” the letter states.
The Justice Department sticks to a rule. It skips public shares on no-charge probes. Experts say changing that before a big primary would shock history.
Patel and Swalwell clashed before. In his 2023 book “Government Gangsters,” Patel named Swalwell among Trump’s foes. Now Patel controls those FBI files.
Patel mocked Swalwell publicly in December on Fox News. He joked about Swalwell dating Fang Fang again. Democrats slammed it as a personal grudge, not cop work.
The FBI defends its steps carefully. “This FBI shares more than ever,” a spokesperson says. “We prep docs for reviews by other agencies on old cases from past admins.” They skip details on Swalwell files or timelines.
Democrats Back Swalwell Hard
Top Democrats blast the moves. They see it as Trump using cops against enemies. Rep. Jamie Raskin leads the House Judiciary Democrats. “FBI smears a congressman, governor hopeful, and Trump foe,” he says. “How does that serve cops? It’s just partisan weapon use.”
Sen. Adam Schiff agrees. “Trump and his team hit DOJ foes again,” he posted on X. “Patel will do anything to pick California’s governor.”
This hits during California’s huge governor fight. Ten big names run: eight Democrats, two Republicans. Primary’s June 2. The top two advance to November, party aside. Polls this month put Swalwell high among Democrats. He even tops one Republican. That sets him up for the general.
Swalwell faces a DOJ referral, too, over alleged mortgage fraud. He calls it another attack. He dropped a suit on a housing official lately. Last September, he said he expected Trump to prosecute him. Patel’s book lists him as a “gangster.”
No one knows if files drop or when. Yet this Fang Fang fight spotlights big issues. It questions FBI independence, government attacks on rivals, and election-year power limits.
Swalwell risks his whole shot. Patel seems to plan it. California voters start early mail ballots in May. Who shapes the story might matter most in this race.
