Liz Cheney says Swalwell represents ‘national security hazard,' urges Pelosi to take action

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House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney is one of the 17 GOP members who sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanding the removal of Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., from the Intelligence Committee over his alleged ties to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.

Cheney, R-Wyo., blasted Pelosi, D-Calif., for not taking action against Swalwell and said he represented "a national security hazard."

"We watched [Pelosi] again and again treat her responsibility over the Intelligence Committee with something less than seriousness, at this moment where we face grave national security threats. Not only has she let Congressman Swalwell stay on that committee, not taken action, she diverted the attention of that committee for months and months and months onto impeachment instead of being focused on the threat from China, the threat of the coronavirus," Cheney told "Fox & Friends" Wednesday.

17 HOUSE GOP MEMBERS SEND LETTER TO PELOSI URGING SWALWELL'S REMOVAL FROM INTEL COMMITTEE

Cheney went on to say there needs to be a bipartisan agreement on being able to work together to defend the nation. Cheney said she’s "disappointed" in Pelosi for not participating in the China Task Force. 

House Republicans launched a China Task Force in May amid the growing scrutiny over China’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak. The Senate approved a $740 billion major national defense bill on Friday to ensure Americans continue to stay safe against any national security threat. Congress has passed this bill for 60 consecutive years.

"The National Defense Authorization Act is so critically important. It has really important language in it that helps to protect against Chinese industrial espionage, helps us to be much more independent, our supply chains, and to protect our bases from the threat of Chinese espionage. We really need to make sure across the board we’re defending ourselves," Cheney explained.

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The House Republican Conference chair noted the Chinese Communist Party and the government have managed to infiltrate at the highest levels of the United States’ entertainment industry and media and have been known to engage in hacking sensitive information.

Pelosi said Thursday during her weekly news conference "she has no concerns about Congressman Swalwell." Cheney argued the nation cannot afford to have Pelosi as the speaker of the House if she is not serious about the national security threat the U.S. is facing.

"The coronavirus – the extent to which [the Chinese Communist Party] caused it to be spread around the world – has really shone a spotlight on the nature of that regime, and has really focused the attention of, not just people in the United States but our allies around the world, on the threat that they pose and how important it is we protect ourselves by moving supply chains, by ending our dependence on the Chinese government," Cheney explained.

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"We have got to stand up against [the Chinese Communist Party], America has to lead the way."