FBI agents executed search warrants and seized electronic devices belonging to former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) over a recent weekend. According to two sources familiar with the matter, the seizures are part of a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving the former congressman.
The law enforcement activity followed Swalwell’s resignation from Congress in April, which occurred after several women made allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct. One warrant was served Saturday night at San Francisco International Airport after Swalwell landed, and a second warrant was executed Sunday at his residence in Washington, D.C.
Swalwell, who represented California's Bay Area from 2013 until his resignation earlier this year, faced accusations including rape and the sending of unsolicited explicit messages and photos. While the bipartisan House Ethics Committee had opened an investigation into these claims, the probe ended upon his resignation because the committee only holds jurisdiction over current members and staff. Swalwell has acknowledged "mistakes in judgment" but stated that an assault allegation was "false" and said he would fight it.
The scale of this action involves at least two high-profile searches in two different states, targeting a former federal lawmaker who served for over a decade. While the exact number of devices seized has not been disclosed, such warrants typically grant the FBI access to private communications, location data, and images stored on phones and computers. A person in this position would notice the immediate loss of access to their personal and professional electronics, and the contents could eventually be used as evidence in a grand jury proceeding or trial.
The investigation into Swalwell also intersects with broader national security matters, though the current warrants are linked to the misconduct probe. On Monday, the White House released 97 pages of declassified documents regarding a separate 2015 FBI investigation into Swalwell’s relationship with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. While Swalwell was never charged in that decade-old matter, the release of these files—reportedly at the urging of FBI Director Kash Patel—sets a precedent for how the executive branch may handle the records of former members of Congress facing multiple legal or ethical inquiries. No specific court dates or deadlines for the sexual misconduct investigation have been announced at this time.