FBI Seizes Swalwell Devices in Sexual Misconduct Probe

Newly released FBI records have put fresh pressure on Democrats who once rushed to defend Eric Swalwell after Kevin McCarthy removed the California congressman from the House Intelligence Committee. The documents detail repeated contacts between Swalwell and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative known as Fang Fang, including multiple sexual encounters, while also showing how the matter was handled during earlier investigations into campaign finance issues and staff placements.

McCarthy acted in early 2023 to bar Swalwell from the panel citing national security concerns tied to Fang. At the time, senior Democrats dismissed the move as political theater. Adam Schiff called the allegations spurious and said McCarthy was misrepresenting briefings. Other party leaders labeled the concerns frivolous or pernicious nonsense. Those statements now sit alongside records that describe FBI interviews with Swalwell about Fang’s activities, including efforts to place interns in his office and possible illicit contributions.

The same weekend the records became public, federal agents seized electronic devices from Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport. Agents later searched his Washington residence under a warrant connected to separate allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell has denied the misconduct claims, which surfaced earlier this year and prompted his resignation from Congress in April. Multiple women have accused him of unwanted advances, unsolicited explicit messages, and assault.

The timing of the new disclosures has left many of Swalwell’s former defenders without comment. Schiff and other Democrats who chaired or served on the intelligence panel have not addressed the declassified material. Swalwell himself has offered no public response to the FBI records beyond prior denials of any wrongdoing involving Fang.

The episode underscores a pattern in which concerns about foreign influence on Capitol Hill were downplayed when they involved members of one party. Swalwell’s relationship with Fang stretched across several years while he rose in Democratic ranks and gained a seat on the intelligence committee. Fang cultivated ties with rising politicians, and the FBI has long warned about such operations. Yet the response from House Democrats focused more on protecting Swalwell’s committee assignment than on examining the underlying contacts.

The sexual misconduct investigation adds another layer. Agents acted on warrants tied to allegations that include incidents while the woman involved worked for Swalwell. The seizure of devices at an airport and the subsequent home search indicate the probe has moved beyond initial complaints. Swalwell dropped out of California’s gubernatorial race after the stories broke, ending what had been viewed as a strong bid.

Critics of the earlier defense of Swalwell argue that national security considerations were subordinated to partisan loyalty. McCarthy’s decision to remove him from the intelligence panel now appears more straightforward in light of the released records. The absence of renewed Democratic commentary suggests the party prefers to move past the matter rather than revisit the claims it once called overstated.

Questions remain about how much information was shared with the full intelligence committee during Swalwell’s tenure and whether other members were briefed on the FBI’s assessment of Fang. The declassified documents focus on Swalwell’s interviews but leave open the broader scope of any counterintelligence steps taken at the time. For now, the silence from those who once spoke forcefully in Swalwell’s defense speaks volumes about how the story has shifted.