House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) defended Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on Thursday when asked about this week’s bombshell story that Swalwell got so close to an alleged Chinese spy that the FBI became alarmed and was forced to intervene. Pelosi promoted a conspiracy theory that Republicans were using the story to distract from having a “QAnon” conspiracy theorist in their delegation.
“Are we to a point now after what happened with Mr. Swalwell, maybe there should be background checks for all staff and interns before serving?” a reporter asked. “Obviously, members, staff who serve on the Intelligence Committees and Armed Services, should that be universal, and what is your concern?”
“What should be universal?” Pelosi asked.
“Background checks for aides or interns across the board for all staff and interns on Capitol Hill after the concerns about Mr. Swalwell,” the reporter answered.
“Well, I don’t have any concern about Mr. Swalwell,” Pelosi responded. “There are those in the Congress who believe, and I am among them, that we should be seeing what influence the Chinese—I’ve been fighting them as you know for over 30 years—in terms of their undue influence at universities in our country and the overtures they try to make to members of Congress.”
“In terms of Mr. Swalwell, in the Spring of 2015, the leadership of the Congress, of the House, and the Committee, were informed that overtures from a Chinese person were being made to members of Congress,” Pelosi continued. “When that was made known to the members of Congress it was over. That was the end of any communication with those people. So, it isn’t, I think we should make sure that everybody what they are being subjected to but I don’t that it means that we have to have background checks for every intern that comes in the Capitol. I do think that it’s unfortunate that Mr. McCarthy is trying to make an issue of this when we all found out at the same time … that several members had been approached.”
“He’s trying to deflect attention from the fact that he has QAnon in his delegation over there and that I think is danger in terms of our debate here about what the possibilities are for undue influence to members of Congress,” Pelosi continued.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson reported that U.S. intelligence officials believe that Swalwell had a “sexual relationship” with the alleged spy. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) responded to the story by saying that Swalwell should be removed from the Intelligence Committee and from Congress. Swalwell suggested without evidence that the Trump administration was responsible for leaking the story to damage him after he criticized the president over Russia. Axios said that their report came after a lengthy “yearlong investigation.”
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- Alleged Chinese Spy Got So Close To Democrat Eric Swalwell That ‘Alarmed’ FBI Had To Intervene: Report
- Eric Swalwell Suggests Conspiracy Theory Behind Bombshell Report On His Ties To Alleged Chinese Spy
- Tucker Carlson: U.S. Intel Officials Believe Chinese Spy ‘Had Sexual Relationship With Eric Swalwell’
- Top Congressional Leader Calls For Swalwell To Be ‘Removed From Congress’ After Chinese Spy Bombshell Story
- Democrat Eric Swalwell: ‘Congressional Leadership Knew About’ My Ties To Alleged Chinese Spy