BOMBSHELL: Declassified Files Reveal The FBI Had Evidence…
Newly declassified FBI records made public this week confirm what many conservatives have argued for years: the bureau possessed substantial evidence that a suspected Chinese intelligence operative known as “Fang Fang” compromised then-Congressman Eric Swalwell through a sexual relationship, campaign donations, and placement of foreign nationals inside his office.
The files, released Monday, August 17, by the White House Government Transparency Task Force, were declassified on the order of President Trump as part of a broader push to expose foreign interference in American politics. The release ends years of stonewalling by Swalwell and his legal team, who fought for months to keep the records sealed.
According to the documents, the woman also known as Christine Fang built relationships across Bay Area and national Democratic politics beginning around 2011, with one of her closest ties being to Swalwell, then a Dublin, California city councilman on the rise. By 2014, she was serving as a fundraising bundler for his congressional re-election campaign.
The files describe a years-long counterintelligence probe, code-named “Freshman Fifteen,” that ran from May 2014 to May 2017. FBI interview summaries show Swalwell admitted to agents in 2015 that he had physical relations with Fang on multiple occasions, though he insisted he never had a romantic relationship with her.
One interview memo, drawn from the declassified file, describes Swalwell telling investigators that he and Fang “hooked up” after she arrived unannounced at his apartment, and that he barely recalled the encounter because he had taken a sleep aid beforehand. It is exactly the kind of vulnerability foreign intelligence services look to exploit.
The records also detail how Fang helped place at least one foreign intern inside Swalwell’s congressional office, raising fresh questions about who had access to a sitting member of Congress and, later, a member of the House Intelligence Committee.
That detail is especially alarming given Swalwell’s later assignment. In 2015, the same year the FBI briefed him on Fang, he was named to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, eventually taking a lead role on the subcommittee overseeing the CIA. Critics have long argued Democratic leadership never adequately reckoned with that timeline.
Peter Schweizer, president of the Government Accountability Institute, called Swalwell’s conduct “incredible recklessness” in a Fox News interview following the release. Schweizer noted the files also show Fang repeatedly urged Swalwell and his family to travel to China, at one point offering to pay for the trip.
The bureau’s parallel effort to flip Fang into a confidential informant, detailed in a second declassified packet, adds another layer to the story. Agents assigned her the code name “Rusty Thumbs” and used an undercover employee along with a fictitious company to develop a relationship with her before she fled the country as investigators closed in.
To be clear about what the files do and do not show: after repeated interviews, the FBI reclassified the investigation in February 2017, dropped Swalwell as a subject, and focused the remaining probe on Fang’s own conduct. Investigators ultimately determined they lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute Swalwell for any federal violation.
The Department of Justice also declined to prosecute Fang herself, since she had already fled the country and was barred from re-entry, effectively placing her beyond the reach of American courts. A 2017 FBI memo cited national security concerns in closing out that avenue as well.
None of that changes the fundamental point conservatives have made since Axios first broke elements of this story back in 2020: a sitting congressman with access to sensitive intelligence briefings carried on a physical relationship with a suspected foreign agent for years, and Democratic leadership largely shrugged it off.
House Republicans pressed for accountability at the time. Then-Rep. Greg Steube sent a letter to then-FBI Director Christopher Wray in December 2020 demanding Swalwell be removed from the Intelligence Committee pending a full investigation. Nancy Pelosi expressed “full confidence” in Swalwell and no such removal ever happened.
Shocking 'truth' behind Prince Harry's decision to quit major role
Prince Harry should have "resigned in disgrace" from the board of a controversial African wildlife charity, a commentator says. James Walker makes the bombshell remark in Wednesday's episode of this publication's podcast, Daily Expresso.
He and the show's host, JJ Anisiobi, delve into the Duke of Sussex's dramatic decision to step down from African Parks. James, commenting on the controversy, said: "When you hear about this stuff and how long it's been going on for, you should be resigning in disgrace. [Harry] should be saying: 'I'm not touching that with a barge pole. That is a failed entity. We're going nowhere near it'.
"But no. He's still saying he's going to 'support their mission'. And again this Caroline Pearce, executive director of Survival International, goes on to say: 'His departure doesn't undo that record'.
"She alleged that African Parks was aware of the abuses for years, but it was only after Survival complained to Harry that the charity finally commissioned an investigation."
James added: "Well, she's got a point."
It emerged on Monday (August 24) that Harry was no longer a board member of the wildlife charity.
The conservation organisation has admitted that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers against members of the semi-nomadic Baka group in Congo-Brazzaville.
African Parks has said since that it has improved its safeguarding processes both in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and institutionally.
Its admission followed an independent human rights investigation into allegations guards managed and paid by the charity had beaten, raped and tortured indigenous people in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Harry was president of the charity for six years before he became a member of its board of directors in 2023.
A spokesman for the Duke said he remains an active and avid supporter of African Parks. He added: "The Duke is proud of his 10 years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board.
"His commitment to conservation in Africa continues and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission."
Human rights organisation, Survival International, said it had been calling on Harry to step down from African Parks for years.
The group's director, Caroline Pearce, said in a statement: "It’s outrageous that for 10 years Prince Harry has served African Parks while the organisation has been responsible for abuse and violence against Indigenous people.
"His departure doesn't undo that record — African Parks itself must now be held accountable, and must abandon this model of fortress conservation for good."
Survival International said indigenous peoples know how best to manage their land and the idea outsiders know better is racist and colonial.
Iran TV Airs Sick Threat Against Barron Trump, Reports of $10M Bounty
Iranian state media aired an insane video about killing Barron Trump, along with reporting a $10 million bounty on his head ... and it's sure to get President Donald Trump's attention.
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Video: Iran TV Broadcasts Disturbing Threat Against Barron Trump, Reports $10M Bounty
The "Where to kill Barron Trump" clip says Barron's movements are being "fully monitored" while he's attending New York University ... and claims Barron's accounts for Xbox and Discord have been hacked.
The video goes into depth about what Barron wears ... and what his bodyguards wear. It also alleges his travel habits.
Per reports, the f-ed-up video is tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ... and it's a big-time escalation in the threats coming out of Iran toward Trump as the war rages on.
The chilling video aired amid Trump ratcheting up pressure on Iran to finally crack ... his latest measure, dubbed "economic D-Day,” is meant to cripple Iran's economy.
The video might just be a BS scary tactic ... but it's still pretty freaking unnerving for the 20-year-old college student.
Chaos around Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s future as ‘six month plan’ revealed
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are just days away from relocating back to Britain with their children.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be relocating back to the UK in a matter of days, however, they may not actually be staying here permanently. Just last week, it was reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, alongside their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will be moving back to Britain.
It was reported that the children had already been enrolled on British schools, with the exact name and location of the school not revealed. It was also reported that the family would live in a private, non-royal residence, with the location kept private for security reasons. The motive behind the move was not reported.
While many think this means the Sussex family will be back in the UK - the country they once criticised very publicly - someone close to the couple has revealed that it could actually only be temporary.
The source told The Times: “It’ll be an extended period of time — it could be six months, it could be a year, it could be more — I don’t think even they know yet.
“They might suddenly go: ‘Why don’t we try Canada for a while? Why don’t we try Australia?’ It’s one of the great things about being private individuals [that they can live where they choose].”
The family has spent the last six years living in Montecito, California (Image: Instagram / @meghan)
Harry and Meghan themselves have not released a statement on their upcoming move back to Harry’s home country.
Rumours have been swirling about why they are relocating, with some people believing it is due to Harry’s desire to be close to King Charles.
Other reports suggest that Meghan has been offered an acting role based in Britain, although there is no official confirmation.
The family are reportedly set to fly over from California before the end of August, allowing the children to settle before they start at their new school. It has been reported that the family will keep their Montecito home in America, and their Portugal holiday home. It has also been reported that the family's chickens will stay at the Montecito home, while the family's two dogs are expected to fly over to the UK with them.
