FBI Director Kash Patel ordered agents in the bureau's San Francisco office to rapidly redact documents from a decade-old investigation involving Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, according to people familiar with the matter.

The effort, reported by The Washington Post on Saturday morning, aims to post the files publicly despite no public evidence of wrongdoing by Swalwell. Career FBI officials expressed alarm over the move, viewing it as highly unusual for the agency to release case files from a probe that resulted in no criminal charges.

The documents stem from an investigation into Swalwell's early interactions with Christine Fang, known as Fang Fang, a suspected Chinese spy who infiltrated Northern California political circles around 2011. Fang raised money for Swalwell's 2014 congressional campaign and developed close ties with him as a local politician, but the FBI warned Swalwell about her in 2015, after which he cut off contact. No charges were ever filed against the congressman.

Patel, a Trump loyalist confirmed as FBI director last year amid Democratic opposition, has prioritized transparency on foreign influence operations, including China threats. Insiders described the instructions as coming at the Trump administration's behest, with agents tasked to gather and prepare the files urgently.

Swalwell, a vocal Trump critic who has clashed with Patel repeatedly in congressional hearings, dismissed the reports as 'nonsense' Saturday evening. The California Democrat has maintained he cooperated fully with the FBI years ago and was cleared of any misconduct. No timeline for the files' release has been announced.

The push occurs amid ongoing tensions between Patel and Democrats over his leadership of the FBI. Patel has faced accusations of politicizing the agency, including firing agents and personal use of bureau resources, though he defends his actions as reforms to root out bias. Swalwell and Patel notably exchanged heated words during a 2025 House hearing on Jeffrey Epstein files, where Patel called Swalwell's career a 'disgrace.'

Neither the White House nor Patel's office has commented on the Swalwell files as of Saturday night. The move highlights broader Republican efforts to highlight perceived Chinese influence in U.S. politics, with Swalwell often targeted due to the old probe first publicized in 2020.

FBI career staff worry the release could set a precedent for using the agency against political opponents, potentially eroding public trust in its impartiality.