House Ethics Committee closes Swalwell investigation

By Annie Grayer, CNN

(CNN) — The House Ethics Committee announced it has ended its investigation into Rep. Eric Swalwell, according to a new letter obtained by CNN.

“The Committee will take no further action in this matter,” the letter to the California Democrat stated.

The panel opened an investigation into Swalwell on April 9, 2021, following claims that he had been targeted by a suspected Chinese intelligence operative as part of a broader effort to establish ties with US politicians.

“The Committee has previously reviewed allegations of improper influence by foreign agents and in doing so, cautioned that Members should be conscious of the possibility that foreign governments may attempt to secure improper influence through gifts and other interactions,” the letter continued.

CNN previously reported that Swalwell was named in an Axios report detailing what US officials believed to be a political intelligence operation run by China’s main civilian spy agency between 2011 and 2015. The woman at the center of the operation, Fang Fang or Christine Fang, took part in fundraising activity for Swalwell’s 2014 reelection campaign and helped place an intern in the California Democrat’s office, according to Axios, which noted that Swalwell was never suspected of any wrongdoing.

In a statement following the committee’s letter, Swalwell said that it was “time to move on.”

“The bipartisan House Ethics Committee had this case for over two years. They had the power of subpoena. They received answers from me in response to requests for information. Today, they are closing this matter and did not make a finding of any wrongdoing,” he said.

House Republicans had seized on the allegations and used them as motivation to kick Swalwell off of the House Intelligence Committee at the start of the current Congress.

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