Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) was heckled at a town hall event in California at the end of July after it was revealed he had a past relationship with a Chinese Communist Party spy.
At the town hall, Swalwell was discussing the negative impact of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade when some in the crowd began to shout at him, demanding to know “where’s Fang Fang,” in reference to the spy.
Swalwell was engaged in an undisclosed relationship with Christine Fang for approximately two years before her activities drew the attention of the FBI in 2015. While the nature of the relationship is still unclear, a former Washington Examiner journalist reported that the FBI had evidence there had been a sexual relationship between Swalwell and Fang.
In light of this information, some constituents were vocally angered and disturbed at Swalwell’s presence at the town hall and felt he should not be in a position of public power.
Several people bear witness to the exchange, including Congressman Mark Desaulnier (D-CA), who pled for the hecklers to respect Swalwell and “let him finish.”
At the time, Swalwell was on the House Intelligence Committee and immediately after news of the relationship broke, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named him chair of the House Homeland Security Committee.
The move provoked backlash since it meant the FBI’s investigations into Swalwell and Fang would have to be shut down. It was reported that many of the case agents on the counterintelligence investigators “did not want to close the case” and wanted to keep pursuing the investigation, according to Fox News. However, they were all overruled by FBI higher-ups.
Swalwell is yet to comment on the incident at the town hall, however, he has defended his past relationship with Fang on Twitter, describing Fang as a “friend” and dismissing her as a “college student.”
Pelosi has also refused to comment on the incident, while the House Office of Congressional Ethics is yet to comment on whether or not an investigation into Fang’s intrusion and use of her close friendship with Swalwell into US political circles is being conducted.
As such, the public is left with numerous unanswered questions surrounding the case – especially as to how it will affect Swalwell’s future political prospects.
Eric Swalwell got HECKLED at a town hall!
“LIAR! THAT’S A LIE!”
“WHERE’S FANG-FANG?!” pic.twitter.com/q4SfTHvRsP
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 2, 2023
