The California gubernatorial candidate has accepted tens of thousands of dollars from a lawyer with direct ties to Beijing
The CCP Cookie Jar: Swalwell Keeps Taking Money From Beijing-Linked Lawyer
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign for the California governorship has received another major donation from a lawyer with documented ties to the Chinese Communist Party, raising fresh questions about the judgment and loyalties of a man who seeks to govern America’s largest and most strategically important state. The donation, an additional $25,000 from Keliang Clay Zhu in February 2026, brings Zhu’s total contributions to Swalwell’s campaigns to more than $40,000 over the past several years.
Who Is Keliang Zhu?
Keliang Clay Zhu is a partner at DeHeng Law Offices, a Beijing-based law firm with over two dozen offices across mainland China. A Fox News Digital investigation revealed that DeHeng was founded in the early 1990s as the China Law Office, a subsidiary firm established by the CCP’s Ministry of Justice, before being renamed DeHeng Law Offices in 1995. While the firm presents itself as an independent commercial entity, its lawyers have extensive, documented relationships with Chinese government departments, state-owned enterprises, and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a key CCP United Front mechanism for extending the party’s influence. One senior DeHeng partner, Zhixu Wu, holds positions on multiple local CPPCC standing committees and was awarded the title of Excellent League Member by the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. Zhu himself, who operates the firm’s sole Silicon Valley office in Pleasanton, California, has a track record of representing Chinese state interests in US legal proceedings.
Swalwell’s Documented China Connections
This is not the first time Swalwell’s relationship with China-linked individuals has raised national security concerns. The congressman was previously reported to have been targeted by Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, a Chinese national whom US intelligence officials believed was operating as a Chinese spy. A 2013 Facebook post by China’s San Francisco consulate was uncovered showing Swalwell meeting with a senior CCP diplomat and expressing enthusiasm for US-China cooperation during the same period that Fang Fang’s activities brought him to the FBI’s attention. Despite these documented concerns, Swalwell has continued to accept major donations from Zhu, even after the lawyer’s CCP connections were publicly reported.
Expert Reaction
Michael Lucci, a China expert and founder of State Armor Action, stated publicly that Swalwell got caught with his hand in the CCP cookie jar and called the continued acceptance of Zhu’s donations simply outrageous after the public reporting on Zhu’s background. Critics note that the pattern of behavior, the honey trap relationship with Fang Fang, the early meetings with CCP diplomats, the continued fundraising from a CCP-connected lawyer, reflects either profound naivety or active indifference to national security considerations. Neither option is acceptable in someone seeking the governorship of California.
The Larger Question of Foreign Influence in US Politics
The Swalwell case is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a broader failure to adequately regulate foreign influence in US political campaigns. The Federal Election Commission rules on foreign contributions nominally prohibit donations from foreign nationals but are inadequate to address the complex reality of US citizens with deep ties to foreign governments. The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires disclosure of those acting on behalf of foreign principals but has historically been weakly enforced. The Senate Homeland Security investigations into CCP influence operations have documented the scope of the threat. Independent analysis from the Hoover Institution covers Chinese influence operations comprehensively. Democracy requires that its elected representatives answer first and last to the people they serve, not to foreign authoritarian powers. Swalwell’s choices demand scrutiny and accountability.
Pui Yi Cheung
Economy & Labor Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: puiyi.cheung@appledaily.uk
Pui Yi Cheung is an economy and labor journalist with expertise in employment trends, small business dynamics, and workers’ rights. Educated at a respected UK journalism school, she received formal training in economic reporting, data literacy, and investigative techniques, equipping her to cover complex financial topics accurately.
She has contributed to Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese newspapers, reporting on wage policy, employment conditions, labor organizing, and the economic challenges facing diaspora communities. Her work emphasizes firsthand interviews and careful examination of official statistics and regulatory documents.
Pui Yi brings real newsroom experience in translating economic data into accessible reporting without sacrificing accuracy. She is known for methodical fact-checking and for consulting independent experts when covering technical subjects.
Her authority is reinforced by consistent editorial oversight and adherence to transparency standards, including clear sourcing and prompt corrections when required.
At Apple Daily UK, Pui Yi Cheung produces trustworthy economic journalism grounded in evidence, professional experience, and public-interest reporting.
