China

McCarthy files resolution to remove Swalwell from intel committee

Published

9 months ago

March 18, 2021

Staff Writer

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy filed a resolution Thursday to remove Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee over his ties to a suspected Chinese spy, Axios has reported.

According to documents obtained by Fox News, Swalwell “has not denied public reporting that a suspected Chinese intelligence operative helped raise money for Representative Swalwell’s political campaigns” and “other troublesome elements of public reporting.”

The document is calling for Swalwell to be removed from his committee assignment “in light of conduct he has exhibited.”

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“Meet the New McCarthyism,” Swalwell tweeted in response to the resolution.

“Multiple sentences in resolution state “Swalwell has not denied…” Yet fails to include multiple FBI statements of “no wrongdoing” and did nothing but “cooperate.” All of this to deflect from @GOPLeader’s support for QAnon.”

Meet the New McCarthyism. Multiple sentences in resolution state “Swalwell has not denied…” Yet fails to include multiple FBI statements of “no wrongdoing” and did nothing but “cooperate.” All of this to deflect from @GOPLeader’s support for QAnon. https://t.co/2bsU72ev8H
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) March 18, 2021

McCarthy and other Republicans have been calling for Swalwell’s removal for months and argue that he is a national security threat due to his former ties with an alleged Chinese spy.

“Based upon the information I was given and the speaker was given by the FBI, there is no way he should be on that committee at all,” McCarthy told Punchbowl News.

Swalwell’s connection with Fang Fang, an alleged Chinese spy, was revealed in December by Axios. It was reported that Fang Fang helped raise money for Swalwell’s campaign and placed one or more interns in Swalwell’s office.

Despite the controversy, Swalwell was named one of the House impeachment managers for the second Senate trial of former President Donald Trump and was recently reappointed to the intel panel by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Swalwell said his interactions with Fang Fang were “something that congressional leadership knew about it” and that he is no longer in contact with Fang Fang. Swalwell has yet to be accused of any wrongdoing by federal investigators.

Follow Annaliese Levy on Twitter @AnnalieseLevy

China

Taiwan President Confirms US Troops Are In The Country To Help Protect Against China

Published

1 month ago

October 28, 2021

Staff Writer

During a CNN interview on Wednesday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen confirmed that U.S. troops were on the ground in Taiwan to assist in strengthening the country’s defenses as the threat from China is “increasing every day.”

Tsai told CNN’s Will Ripley that the situation has gone south in recent years as “China’s plan towards the region” has become “very different.”

“That plan includes war threats over Taiwan, clashes with Japan and the East China Sea and militarizing manmade islands in the South China Sea, posing a direct challenge to seven decades of U.S. military supremacy in the Indo-Pacific,” Ripley said. “In response, the U.S. ramped up arms sales to Taiwan, selling the island $5 billion in weapons last year. President Tsai confirms exclusively to CNN, U.S. support goes beyond selling weapons. Does that support include sending some U.S. service members to help train Taiwanese troops?”

“Well, yes,” Tsai responded. “We have a wide range of cooperation with the U.S., aiming at increasing our defense capability.”

Later in the interview, Ripley asked, “Do you have faith that the United States would defend Taiwan if the Mainland were to try to move on Taiwan?”

“I do have faith, and given the long-term relationship that we have the U.S. and also the support the people of the U.S., as well as the Congress, and the administration has been very helpful,” Tsai said, later adding that Taiwan needs to “expedite our military reform so that we have the ability to defend ourselves. And given the size of Taiwan compared to the size of [China], developing asymmetric capability is the key for us.”

Tsai’s comments come a few weeks after China sent over 150 military planes into Taiwanese air space, the largest incursion ever by the Communist country.

“The defense of Taiwan is in our own hands, and we are absolutely committed to that,” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told ABC Australia in response to China’s aggression.

“If China is going to launch a war against Taiwan we will fight to the end, and that is our commitment. I’m sure that if China is going to launch an attack against Taiwan, I think they are going to suffer tremendously as well.”