Episode
The Honeytrap That Reached Capitol Hill: Fang Fang, Swalwell, and China's Election Playbook
- Podcast
- China Watch
- Published
- Sep 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2552
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.theepochtimes.com/podcasts
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Summary
Newly declassified FBI files reveal how alleged Chinese intelligence asset Christine Fang—also known as "Fang Fang"—used a years-long sexual relationship, illegal straw donations, and planted congressional interns to work her way into the office of a sitting member of Congress. The files also expose "Rusty Thumbs," an FBI operation that tried to quietly turn Fang into a double agent before realizing she was actively running her own influence campaign against the U.S. political system. Epoch Times White House reporter Travis Gillmore joins host Terri Wu to walk through what's genuinely new in the documents, why the case went unprosecuted for a decade, and what it reveals about the scale of the CCP's efforts to compromise American election integrity, from Capitol Hill to the ballot box. Read Travis’s article here . Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. — Terri Wu is a Washington-based freelance reporter for The Epoch Times covering education and China-related issues. Send tips to [email protected] . Show your support for Epoch Times and independent journalism by leaving a 5-star review of this show on your podcast platform or visit www.RateThisPodcast.com/chinawatch