Newly declassified FBI records are shedding fresh light on former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s relationship with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine “Fang Fang,” which Democrats had previously defended as not warranting his removal from the House Intelligence Committee.

The records reveal FBI interviews with Swalwell and a broader investigation into Fang involving alleged illicit campaign contributions, congressional internships and attempts to gain political access.

Investigators considered Fang a significant counterintelligence concern and suspected ties to China’s Ministry of State Security, though they ultimately found no evidence that Swalwell participated in a quid-pro-quo scheme or violated federal corruption laws.

The House Ethics Committee also closed its investigation into Swalwell in 2023 without taking further action against him, Fox News has reported.

The revelations contrast with past Democratic defenses from figures including Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler, who dismissed Republican efforts to remove Swalwell from the Intelligence Committee as unfounded and politically motivated.