Greene accuses Swalwell of sexual relationship with Chinese spy

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) brought a House hearing to a standstill by renewing an accusation against Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) that he’d “had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy.”

Greene accuses Swalwell, then Mayorkas

Rep. Greene raised this accusation during interrogation of SecHomeSec Alejandro Mayorkas by the House Homeland Security Committee. Mr. Swalwell had just finished questioning Mayorkas about Biden Administration immigration policy, and then “yielded back.” Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), the Chairman, then recognized Ms. Greene. And she began by saying:

That was quite entertaining from someone who had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy.

At once Swalwell demanded that the Chairman strike her words from the record. The Chairman reviewed House Rule 17, Section 1, which apparently deals with personal aspersions. Mr. Green asked Ms. Greene whether she would retract her remarks; she refused. After more inaudible whispering, the Chairman refused to strike those remarks.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the Ranking Member, appealed the decision of the chair. Almost immediately thereafter, another Republican moved to table the appeal. That motion-to-table ultimately carried, 11 to 9.

After that, Greene questioned Mayorkas severely on the influx of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, into the United States. At one point she said that schools must for the first time have supplies of Narcan® (naloxone/Emergent Operations Ireland) to treat acute fentanyl overdose. Mayorkas began his response by asserting that his Department was actively combating the influx. At that, Greene said,

You are a liar.

This set off another round of haggling from Ranking Member Thompson. Ultimately the Committee did “take down” Greene’s “liar” remark, and she was no longer allowed to speak for the rest of the day.

What was she talking about concerning Swalwell?

Rep. Greene was no doubt referring to a woman named Fang Fang, also known as Christine Fang. She had ingratiated herself with several California politicians, including Swalwell. No one will admit today that she actually had a sexual liaison with Swalwell. But Axios reported that she did have such liaisons with two Midwestern mayors. Concerning her relationship with Swalwell, Axios said:

Fang took part in fundraising activity for Swalwell’s 2014 re-election campaign, according to a Bay Area political operative and a current U.S. intelligence official. Swalwell’s office was directly aware of these activities on its behalf, the political operative said. That same political operative, who witnessed Fang fundraising on Swalwell’s behalf, found no evidence of illegal contributions.

Allegedly, after Fang Fang’s connection with the Chinese Communist Party became too striking to ignore, Swalwell severed his professional ties with Fang. Notably, Rep. Swalwell never either confirmed nor denied a sexual relationship with Fang.

Other committee happenings

The Chairman had opened the hearing with this statement excoriating Mayorkas for Biden Administration policies: