Federal agents have confiscated electronics belonging to Eric Swalwell, a former Democratic congressman from California, and conducted a search of his Washington residence. The investigation involves allegations of sexual misconduct against Swalwell. His devices were taken at San Francisco airport on Saturday, and agents executed a search warrant at his home the following day. This information comes from a source familiar with the investigation who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly.
An attorney for Swalwell, who has denied all allegations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The seizure of Swalwell’s devices was initially reported by the Daily Mail. Swalwell resigned from Congress in April after accusations emerged that he had sexually assaulted a woman on two occasions, including once when she was employed by him. These allegations were first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. Additionally, CNN reported that three other women accused Swalwell of various types of sexual misconduct, including sending unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos.
Before these allegations surfaced, Swalwell was considered a leading candidate in California’s gubernatorial race. However, the accusations led to him dropping out. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, confirmed an investigation into Swalwell. This followed a claim by a former staffer that Swalwell raped her while attending a charity gala in New York City in 2024.
Bragg’s office released a statement urging “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division.” A lawyer representing Lonna Drewes, a Californian who alleged in April that Swalwell raped her in 2018, indicated that they are cooperating with law enforcement. “We are encouraged to learn about the escalation of the FBI’s investigation into the allegations against Eric Swalwell,” attorney Arick Fudali mentioned.
Swalwell, born in Iowa, began serving as a congressman in 2012 for a district east of San Francisco. He had a brief presidential campaign in 2019 but withdrew after limited voter interest. In Congress, Swalwell was known for opposing Donald Trump and was active in the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees. He also served as a Democratic prosecutor during Trump’s second impeachment following the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Speaker, removed Swalwell from the Intelligence Committee in 2023 due to his past interactions with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy. Fang initially contacted Swalwell’s campaign during his first congressional run in 2012 and was involved in his 2014 campaign fundraising. Federal investigators expressed their concerns to Swalwell in 2015, and he subsequently ended contact with her. Swalwell was not accused of any wrongdoing, and a House Ethics Committee investigation initiated in 2021 closed two years later without any action.
Associated Press reporters Michael R. Sisak from New York and Olga Rodriguez from San Francisco contributed to this report.
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