Swalwell's lawyers fight release of old FBI file
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Lawyers for Rep. Eric Swalwell have demanded that FBI Director Kash Patel immediately halt efforts to release records from a decade-old investigation involving Swalwell and a suspected Chinese operative, citing no criminal charges resulted from the probe.
- The cease-and-desist letter warns that releasing the FBI investigative file would violate federal law and Justice Department policy, threatening legal action if Patel proceeds.
- The investigation focused on Swalwell's interactions with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative who had ties to his early political campaigns; Swalwell was briefed on concerns in 2015 and cut off contact.
- Despite the investigation and a House Ethics Committee inquiry, Swalwell was never accused of wrongdoing, and the ethics probe closed in 2023 without action.
- The FBI's preparation to release redacted files is highly unusual, as the Justice Department rarely discloses records from investigations that do not lead to charges.
