Exclusive: Eric Swalwell wielded an unexpected argument when FBI Director Kash Patel threatened to release files detailing the then-congressman’s contacts with suspected Chinese intelligence operative Christine Fang.
According to information provided to Sources Say News, Swalwell’s side raised the prospect that releasing the files could be viewed as a punitive attempt to weaponize the Department, pointing to the congressman’s long-concluded sexual relationship with former senior administration official Katie Miller from roughly a decade ago.
Miller — now the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller — had been involved with Swalwell when she was in her early 20s, before her relationship with her now-husband. Miller said that she was unaware that the past relationship had been discussed with the DOJ.
She interned and worked as a congressional staffer on Capitol Hill before serving in the Trump administration.
The issue arose as the California Democrat sought to prevent the release of Department of Justice investigative files concerning his former contact with Fang, also known as “Fang Fang,” Sources Say News has learned.
FBI Director Kash Patel signaled in March that he planned to release documents pertaining to the decade-old investigation, The Washington Post first reported. This prompted Swalwell — who was then the frontrunner in the California gubernatorial race before dropping out amid sexual misconduct allegations — to send Patel a cease-and-desist letter.
“The congressman has never been accused of wrongdoing in that matter, and your attempt to release the file is a transparent attempt to smear him and undermine his campaign for governor of California,” the letter said. “Your actions threaten to expose you, others at the FBI, and the FBI itself to significant legal liability.”
Attorneys at the Justice Department, then led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, communicated with a lawyer for Swalwell about the investigation, including efforts to prevent the files from being released, according to a source familiar with the exchanges.
The dispute also comes against the backdrop of longstanding Justice Department policies and regulations that generally prohibit officials from releasing investigative information for the purpose of embarrassing individuals or unfairly prejudicing their rights, particularly when no criminal charges have been filed.
Sources said Bondi ultimately declined to authorize the release of the files. When reached for comment about the communications between Swalwell’s team and Justice Department lawyers regarding Miller, as well as allegations that she preferred that Patel not release the files and had a friendly rapport with the former Democratic congressman, Bondi replied: “My ONLY contact with the Congressman was regarding death threats to his wife and children.”
When asked for comment on the story, the Justice Department stated “the Department investigates crimes irrespective of politics.” A source familiar with the matter was not aware of any written comments regarding Miller in the Department’s documents.
Swalwell has publicly denied allegations that Bondi tipped him off about the FBI’s plans to release the files. Meanwhile, Miller has repeatedly criticized the former congressman on X, frequently attacking him over ethics, his conduct, and political issues while defending her husband.
Shortly after Swalwell announced he was stepping aside amid sexual misconduct allegations, Stephen Miller publicly took aim at the California Democrat. During an appearance on Fox News' Jesse Watters Primetime in April, Miller argued that Democrats use compromising information to control their members.
"The real story here is how the Democrat Party controls its members through blackmail. It's got a blackmail file on ALL of its politicians, and it uses them to leverage and control them until it's time to release it," Miller said.
"That is how sick and twisted the Democrat Party is. That's the next thread we've got to pull out here," he added.
The Daily Mail reported in April that President Trump’s decision to replace Bondi as attorney general may have been due, in part, to allegations that she tipped Swalwell off about the FBI’s plans to release the documents.
Swalwell declined to comment or participate in the story.
