Swalwell Criticizes McCarthy for Requesting Swalwell Be Removed from Intelligence Committee

Last updated on March 22nd, 2021 at 06:04 am

Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) criticized House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) after McCarthy requested Swalwell be removed from the House Intelligence Committee after Fox News reported about Swalwell’s relationship with an alleged Chinese spy named Fang Fang who helped raise money for Swalwell’s campaign and placed at least one intern in his office.

Swalwell characterized the report as unfair and baseless, saying the report is an example of “new McCarthyism,” a nod to the McCarthy era of the 1950s which saw many innocent people brought down on allegations that they were affiliated with the Communist Party.

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“Meet the New McCarthyism,” Swalwell tweeted. “Multiple sentences in resolution state ‘Swalwell has not denied…’ Yet fails to include multiple FBI statements of ‘no wrongdoing’ and did nothing but ‘cooperate.’” 

Swalwell added that McCarthy’s attempt to remove him from the committee serves to deflect from McCarthy’s own support for the QAnon conspiracy theory, which alleges that Democrats are trafficking children and worked to undermine former President Donald Trump.

Swalwell has said he no longer has contact with Fang. Authorities have not charged him with wrongdoing.

Alan Herrera

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.