FBI Director Kash Patel has tasked agents in San Francisco to compile documents from a closed counterintelligence probe involving Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and a Chinese national named Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang.
As reported by the New York Times, agents were directed to review files, conduct light redactions, and send them to senior officials in the Trump administration. This process is expected to wrap up by the end of next week.
Some discussions have included the possibility of arranging a U.S. visa for Fang to facilitate her interview, though no further information has been confirmed publicly. An FBI spokesperson noted that document preparation serves many purposes, including furthering investigations initiated in prior administrations.
Swalwell, currently running for governor of California, has claimed that this is a political maneuver by the Trump Administration. He stated, “Through great reporting, we now know the outrageous ends the White House will go to target political opponents. As was Trump’s mortgage case against me, this decade-old story is, of course, nonsense,” he said.
Release the Fang Fang files and Eric Swalwells political career is over!
Tick tock Eric! pic.twitter.com/G1BlsyBPTh
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 28, 2026
Christine Fang, known as a Chinese national, was involved in U.S. political activities mainly in the San Francisco Bay Area from around 2011 to 2015. U.S. officials suspected her of conducting a political intelligence operation tied to China’s civilian spy agency.
She developed ties with emerging local politicians through various networking, fundraising, and campaign efforts. In several cases with other politicians, her interactions included romantic elements.
Fang first reached out to Swalwell when he served as a city council member in Dublin, California. She was instrumental in fundraising for his 2014 reelection and assisted in placing an intern in his congressional office.
The FBI instigated a counterintelligence inquiry into Fang’s activities around 2011. Agents gave Swalwell a defensive briefing around 2015, expressing their concerns about her. The investigation concluded without any charges against either Swalwell or Fang, and officials emphasized he was not accused of wrongdoing.
Following a public revelation of the situation in a December 2020 investigation by Axios, the House Ethics Committee initiated a review in April 2021 to assess if Swalwell had breached House rules in his dealings with Fang. The committee closed this matter in May 2023, announcing no further actions would be taken.
Swalwell has consistently asserted that he acted suitably once informed by the FBI.
The news arrives as Swalwell finds himself in a competitive gubernatorial race. Polling as the leading Democrat in a crowded field, he still faces tough competition from two Republican candidates in the state’s open primary.
If the Democratic field does not consolidate effectively and polling trends continue, it is possible that a Democratic candidate may be excluded from the ballot.
