FBI Seizes Swalwell Devices in Sexual Misconduct Probe

Federal agents have seized electronic devices from former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and searched his Washington home as part of an ongoing probe into allegations of sexual misconduct, according to people familiar with the matter. The seizures took place at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, with agents executing a search warrant at his residence the following day. Swalwell, who resigned from Congress in April after the allegations surfaced, has denied claims of sexual assault and other misconduct.

The investigation centers on accusations that Swalwell sexually assaulted a woman twice, including an incident when she worked for him, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and later covered by CNN. Additional reports detail claims from three other women involving unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos. Swalwell had been viewed as a frontrunner in California's gubernatorial race before stepping aside. His attorney has not responded to requests for comment on the latest developments.

This latest action by federal authorities stands apart from earlier Republican efforts to link Swalwell to national security concerns. In 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee, citing his past interactions with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. Democrats at the time, including former Rep. Adam Schiff, dismissed those moves as politically motivated and lacking sufficient evidence to warrant exclusion from the panel. Schiff had described McCarthy's portrayal of briefings on the matter as a disservice to the public.

Newly declassified FBI records released this week detail interviews with Swalwell conducted during an earlier examination of Fang's activities, which included questions around campaign contributions and interns placed in his office. Those documents do not indicate any charges stemming from that probe. A separate raid on Swalwell's devices appears tied exclusively to the sexual misconduct allegations rather than any espionage-related inquiry. No public evidence has emerged connecting the two matters.

Republican figures have quickly sought to frame the device seizures as validation for McCarthy's earlier decision. Yet the timing and focus of the current investigation suggest a distinction that many in the GOP are overlooking. Swalwell's removal from the intelligence committee occurred amid heated partisan battles over committee assignments, with Democrats arguing that such steps undermined institutional norms without clear proof of wrongdoing at the time. The absence of any espionage charges against Swalwell in the intervening years lends weight to those earlier objections.

Critics of the original McCarthy action pointed out that similar scrutiny was not applied evenly across party lines when questions arose about other lawmakers' foreign contacts. The current sexual misconduct probe, while serious and warranting thorough examination, does not automatically retroactively justify those committee maneuvers. Federal investigators have not indicated that the seized devices contain material related to foreign intelligence, keeping the focus on personal conduct allegations.

Swalwell announced his resignation shortly after the misconduct claims became public, marking the end of his seven-term House career. The allegations have drawn renewed attention to accountability standards for elected officials, regardless of party. As the investigation proceeds, questions remain about how such cases are handled in a polarized environment where past political disputes often resurface to shape narratives around unrelated legal matters. Democrats have largely stayed quiet on the latest developments, consistent with their approach to internal party controversies involving serious personal accusations.