What changed
2026-08-17 16:50 UTC → 2026-08-17 22:17 UTC ·
added
removed
Reports have emerged regarding a past romantic relationship between former Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell and Katie Miller, who served as a congressional intern at the time. This connection was cited by Swalwell’s legal team during a dispute involving the Justice Department’s release of the FBI’s ‘Fang Fang’ investigative files. Declassified Newly declassified FBI documents, documents released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force, provide further Force have provided additional details on a 2014 regarding the decade-old investigation codenamed ‘Freshman Fifteen’. The probe examined whether Chinese national Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, used sexual relationships and congressional interns to gain influence. Investigators identified Fang as having ties to China’s Ministry of State Security. Security (MSS), noting that her parents were also identified as MSS agents. The files reveal that the FBI attempted to recruit Fang as a confidential informant using the code name ‘Rusty Thumbs’ before discovering her alleged criminal activities. While the investigation initially considered potential bribery involving Swalwell, it former Representative Eric Swalwell—specifically whether access and internships were exchanged for campaign contributions—it was narrowed to focus on Fang’s alleged use of American citizens to funnel prohibited foreign donations. Swalwell admitted to the FBI in interviews that he had a physical relationship with Fang. The documents describe Fang’s alleged efforts to influence political figures through sexual seduction and the placement of interns in congressional offices. Although the FBI gathered evidence of Fang soliciting illegal straw donations and acting as an unregistered foreign agent, the investigation into her was closed, with officials citing national security reasons for not pursuing prosecution. The FBI ultimately concluded there was no federal statutory violation by Swalwell and removed him as a subject of the investigation.