Liz Cheney: Swalwell Poses National Security Risk on Intel Committee

Rep. Eric Swalwell poses a national security hazard by remaining on the House Intelligence Committee and must be removed, as there are "real questions" concerning his connections with alleged Chinese spy Christine Fang, Rep. Liz Cheney said Wednesday. 

"I think there are real questions about the extent to which he was clearly cultivated," the Wyoming Republican said on Fox News' "Fox & Friends." "Financial support was provided by this bundling by this Chinese spy. It sounds like she placed an intern in his office, and I think the real question is why Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi hasn't taken action."

Cheney, who has signed onto a letter demanding Swalwell's removal, added that Pelosi treats the Intelligence Committee with "something less than seriousness."

"Not only has she let Congressman Swalwell stay on that committee, not taking action, she diverted the attention to that committee for months and months and months onto impeachment instead of being focused on the threat from China, the threat of the coronavirus," said Cheney. "I think it's an issue of grave concern and she needs to take action and that's why we sent the letter."

Swalwell, D-Calif., has said that Fang made connections with him while he was a local councilman, but that he cooperated with the FBI when it contacted him about her. 

But Cheney on Wednesday said the connection marked a "grave, grave threat, and we've got to have bipartisan agreement on being able to work together to defend this nation across the board from that threat."

Pelosi had also said she would not participate in a China task force set up in the House, Cheney pointed out.

"It's one of the reasons why the National Defense Authorization Act is so critically important," she said. "It has really important language in it that helps to protect against Chinese industrial espionage, helps us to be much more independent, our supply chains and to protect our bases from the threat of Chinese espionage. We really need to make sure, across the board, we're defending ourselves."

• Grenell: Gang of Eight Should Investigate Swalwell's Ties To Suspected China Spy
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