Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) launched into a conspiracy-laden diatribe over the 2024 presidential election results, suggesting subpoena power would be necessary to discern whether foreign adversaries—with an assist from Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk—stole the race for President Donald Trump.

“Elon Musk has done nothing in the last five months to make me think that we shouldn’t ask questions about what the hell he was doing in 2024,” Swalwell said on a recent podcast, uncovered by Breitbart News, when asked about an alleged U.S. data leaked through Elon Musk’s Starlink services.  

“Maybe we gave him too much of the benefit of the doubt after the election, but the way that he’s conducted himself with DOGE, and the way that he’s exposed us to so many hackers outside, and the way that he’s taken data, you know, from Americans, from our records — whether it’s Social Security or health care records, the only way that we can understand, you know, what the hell Elon Musk has been doing is to be in the majority,” the the lawmaker added, emphasizing that Democrats regaining a House majority to secure subpoena power would be a critical step in determining whether interference occurred in the 2024 election.

Swalwell’s rhetoric isn’t new. Back in 2016, he was a vocal proponent of the now-debunked narrative that Russia colluded with Trump to steal the election from Hillary Clinton. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Swalwell pushed investigations into Trump’s campaign ties to Russia, citing contacts with Russian operatives and the DNC email hacks. “The Russians wanted Donald Trump to win, and they took steps to make that happen,” he told CNN in 2019, referencing the Mueller Report. Critics, however, note the report found no evidence of direct collusion.

Swalwell previously faced intense scrutiny due to his past ties to Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy who targeted up-and-coming U.S. politicians. According to a 2020 Axios investigation, Fang, also known as Fang Fang, operated in the Bay Area from 2011 to 2015, cultivating relationships with local leaders who had potential to rise on the national stage. She reportedly engaged in sexual relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors to gain influence. Fang acted as a “bundler” for Swalwell’s 2014 congressional campaign, raising significant funds while he was a Dublin, California, city councilmember. She also attended events with Swalwell, including a 2013 Lunar New Year banquet and a 2012 student event at CSU East Bay, as documented in photos uncovered by Axios.

Fang’s activities raised red flags with the FBI, which had been monitoring her as part of a broader counterintelligence operation targeting Chinese espionage. She abruptly fled the U.S. in 2015 amid the FBI’s investigation, leaving unanswered questions about her influence. While Swalwell’s office claimed he cooperated with authorities and cut ties with Fang upon learning of the probe, critics argue his association with her casts doubt on his judgment—especially as he now accuses others of foreign collusion.

Projection much, Swalwell?