FBI agents seized Eric Swalwell’s electronic devices at an airport and raided his home.
The former California congressman, 45, found himself at the center of an expanding federal investigation when agents stopped him at an airport and took his electronics. Simultaneously, federal agents executed a search warrant at his residence. The operation signals a significant escalation in the legal troubles surrounding Swalwell since multiple women came forward with sexual misconduct allegations earlier this year.
Those allegations include a claim that Swalwell raped a woman while she was too intoxicated to respond. Other women have accused him of sending unsolicited nude photos. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department have both opened criminal investigations into the rape and sexual assault allegations.
As originally reported, the BBC confirmed that federal agents obtained a legal search warrant granting them authority to enter Swalwell’s home and seize his property.
Swalwell has denied all allegations. His attorney, Sara Azari, called the accusations “false, fabricated, and deeply offensive,” describing them as “a calculated and transparent political hit job.”
The mounting pressure had already reshaped Swalwell’s political future before the FBI moved in. He dropped out of California’s gubernatorial race, where he had been leading at the time, and resigned his seat in the House of Representatives. The House Ethics Committee had opened its own investigation into him, but that inquiry ended when he left Congress.
Swalwell’s congressional seat was subsequently filled by state senator Aisha Wahab, who won the election to serve the remainder of his term. Wahab will hold the seat through January 2027.
His legal troubles do not stop with the misconduct allegations. The White House released a set of declassified documents tied to a separate investigation into Swalwell, revealing details about his alleged relationship with Christine Fang, a woman identified as a suspected spy.
Before his resignation, Swalwell had been a prominent Democratic voice, frequently and publicly criticizing former President Donald Trump. As pressure mounted from fellow House members pushing for his removal, he ultimately chose to step down rather than face a formal ouster.