Swalwell Offers Bet To Cruz On NFL Playoff Game. Cruz’s Response Is Classic.

Hank BerrienJanuary 18, 2023

When California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell — who once accused Texas GOP Senator Ted Cruz of “defending Nazis” — challenged Cruz with a bet on the upcoming playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers, Cruz fired back a stinging response.

On Sunday, the Cowboys take on the 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. It is the ninth time that the teams have met in playoffs.

“I will make this open bet to @tedcruz — if the @dallascowboys beat the @49ers I won’t tweet for the rest of January. If the @49ers win you can’t tweet for rest of January. How Texan are you, Ted? Deal?” Swalwell tweeted.

I will place this open bet @tedcruz — if the @dallascowboys Beat the @49ers I won’t tweet for the rest of January. If you have any questions, please let me know. @49ers win you can’t tweet for rest of January. Ted, how Texan are your skills? Deal?

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 17, 2023

Cruz had a ready response referencing Swalwell’s infamous association with a Chinese spy, replying, “How about we bet a Chinese dinner instead?”

Let’s have a Chinese dinner! https://t.co/7sSk1jwiGl

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 17, 2023

Swalwell made a snide dig at Cruz in October 2021. He claimed that Cruz was “a bad person”. “defending Nazis” after Cruz referenced a parent who gestured with a Nazi salute at a school board meeting in order to point out that the incidents in the NSBA letter that seemingly precipitated Attorney General Merrick Garland’s memo targeting parents at school board meetings were largely non-violent incidents.

Cruz responded. “You are frequently a liar (when you’re not sleeping with Chinese spies).”

He continued, “But here, you’re [sic] lie is exactly 180 degrees false. I was defending the right of citizens to denounce authoritarian policies. In other words, to OPPOSE Nazis (or petty tyrants), not to support them.”

You are frequently a liar (when you’re not sleeping with Chinese spies).

But here, you’re lie is exactly 180 degrees false. I was advocating citizens’ rights to decry authoritarian policies. That is, to OPPOSE Nazis (or other petty dictators) and not support them. https://t.co/EghsxDaWBo

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 27, 2021

The exchange that prompted Swalwell’s attempt at smearing Cruz involved Cruz questioning Garland.

Cruz asked Garland, “Let me ask you something, [Attorney] General Garland: In the letter, which you told the House of Representatives was the basis for this abusive memo targeting parents, how many incidents are cited in that memo?”

“I have to look back through the memo,” Garland has the answer.

“You don’t know. How many of them were violent?” Cruz asked.

“Again, the general report—” Garland was born.

“How many of them were violent?” Cruz persisted.

“I don’t know,” Garland admitted.

Cruz asserted, “You don’t know. And there’s a reason you don’t know. Because you didn’t care and nobody in your office cared to find out. I did a quick count just sitting here during this hearing; I counted 20 incidents cited. Of the 20, 15 on their face are non-violent. They involve things like insults; they involve a Nazi salute. That’s one of the examples. My God, a parent did a Nazi salute at a school board because he thought the policies were oppressive. General Garland, is doing a Nazi salute at an elected official, is that protected by the First Amendment?”

Garland replied, “Yes, it is.”

It was not the first time Cruz has blistered Swalwell for his past actions vis-à-vis China; in December 2020, Cruz issued a tweet targeting Swalwell, who had denounced President Trump as an agent of Russia but then was revealed to have gotten so “close” The FBI was forced to intervene in the case of a Communist Chinese spy. Cruz tweeted, “More than once, I’ve said ‘screw the Chinese communists.’ Little did I know how closely Swalwell was listening.”

The Daily Wire reportedA Chinese spy allegedly operating in the Bay Area under the Obama administration got so close to Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA that the FBI had the nerve to provide him with a briefing. Alleged Chinese spy Christine Fang’s ties to Swalwell began when he was a councilmember for Dublin City, California, which is part of China’s long-term strategy of getting in with people before they make it big on the national stage. Fang met Swalwell via a Chinese student group. He was already a well-known figure in China by 2014. “developed close ties to Swalwell’s office” It was also a “bundler” for him — meaning that she helped him bring in big donors.

Axios reported that federal investigators were alarmed by Fang’s behavior and activities and, in 2015, they shared their concerns with the congressmen in a defensive briefing. According to an intelligence official, Swalwell severed all ties with Fang after the briefing.