FBI Seizes Swalwell Devices in Sexual Misconduct Probe

Newly released FBI records and recent federal searches have drawn fresh attention to former Representative Eric Swalwell’s tenure on the House Intelligence Committee and the circumstances surrounding his removal from that panel. The developments include declassified interview summaries detailing interactions with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative and separate searches tied to allegations of sexual misconduct.

The White House Government Transparency Task Force released the records earlier this week. They describe two FBI interviews with Swalwell conducted during a wider inquiry into Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang. The documents reference campaign contributions, the placement of interns in Swalwell’s office, and multiple instances of sexual contact between Swalwell and Fang. Agents seized electronic devices from Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday and executed a search warrant at his Washington residence the next day, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress in April after public reports detailed allegations of sexual assault involving a former staff member and additional claims of misconduct from other women. He has denied the accusations. An attorney for Swalwell did not respond to requests for comment on the latest searches.

At the time of his removal from the Intelligence Committee in early 2023, senior Democrats strongly defended Swalwell’s continued service. Then-Representative Adam Schiff, who had chaired the committee, described the concerns as misrepresentations and argued that Swalwell posed no security risk. Other Democrats labeled the move a partisan exercise and said briefings they received did not support excluding him. The new records indicate that FBI agents had already conducted substantive interviews with Swalwell about Fang by that period.

The Intelligence Committee handles highly classified information on counterintelligence threats, including those posed by foreign governments. Decisions about membership have historically involved consultation between party leaders and the executive branch to assess potential vulnerabilities. Swalwell’s case illustrated how quickly such judgments can become entangled in broader partisan disputes, even when underlying counterintelligence concerns exist.

The separate sexual misconduct investigation remains active. Federal authorities have not publicly detailed the scope of the device seizures or home search, and Swalwell continues to assert his innocence. The timing of the two strands of scrutiny—one involving foreign influence questions that predate his resignation and another centered on personal conduct—has complicated efforts by some Democrats to treat the earlier committee dispute as settled.

Congressional leaders from both parties have long maintained that the intelligence committees require members who can be trusted with sensitive material. The Swalwell episode shows how incomplete information at the time of those decisions can later give way to more detailed records, prompting retrospective debate about whether institutional safeguards were applied evenly. The released FBI materials and the ongoing probe into other allegations together suggest that questions about Swalwell’s record are unlikely to recede quickly.