Federal agents armed with a search warrant confronted former California Rep. Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport and seized his electronic devices as part of a criminal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.
Swalwell, 45, had started the day in Washington, D.C., before flying to California, where agents were waiting. They presented him with the warrant and took his cellphone along with other electronic devices, the Washington Examiner reported. The former congressman cooperated with investigators, according to the Daily Mail, which first broke the story.
The following day, federal agents executed additional court-approved search warrants at Swalwell's Washington, D.C., residence and seized other potential evidence. Neither Swalwell nor his wife, Brittany Watts, was home when agents arrived.
The searches mark a significant escalation in a federal criminal investigation that stems from allegations by at least four women who have publicly accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct. Two of those women told CNN they had also spoken with the FBI. It was not immediately clear whether Swalwell has been formally designated a target or a subject of the investigation.
Among the most serious accusations is a claim from a former staffer, unnamed in public reporting, who alleged that Swalwell raped her on two occasions, in 2019 and 2024, when she was too intoxicated to consent. That allegation, along with others, prompted investigations by both the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
No charges have been filed against Swalwell in connection with any of the allegations. But the device seizure and residence search indicate federal investigators have gathered enough evidence to persuade a judge, on at least two separate occasions, that probable cause existed to search Swalwell's property and electronics.
Swalwell resigned from Congress in April after reporting detailed the misconduct allegations against him. His departure followed a pattern familiar in Washington, where the House voted unanimously to force disclosure of taxpayer-funded sexual misconduct settlements in an earlier effort to bring accountability to Capitol Hill.
Before the allegations surfaced publicly, Swalwell had been pulling ahead in the California governor's race. His sudden resignation upended the contest. Xavier Becerra, a Democrat who had been polling near the bottom of the candidate field, catapulted to the top after Swalwell's exit. Becerra will face Republican Steve Hilton in the November general election.
The political fallout mirrors other recent cases in which misconduct allegations forced candidates out of competitive races. North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican, exited his reelection bid after an ethics panel recommended censure for sexual harassment. And in California, Rep. Jimmy Gomez advanced to a runoff despite admitting an extramarital affair, raising questions about the uneven consequences different politicians face for personal conduct.
Swalwell's case stands out for the sheer number of simultaneous legal fronts. Federal agents are executing search warrants. The Manhattan DA's office has opened its own probe. The LA County Sheriff's Department is investigating separately. And the former congressman's electronic devices, the kind of evidence that can contain communications, location data, and records spanning years, are now in federal hands.
Just days after the device seizure, the White House declassified and released 97 pages of FBI records related to a separate but politically damaging chapter in Swalwell's career: his relationship with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy. The records focus on Swalwell's association with Fang in 2015. Much of the information in the files had already been reported publicly, and Swalwell was never charged with a crime stemming from that investigation.
The release followed efforts by Patel, whose full name and title were not specified in the reporting, to make the FBI files public. The Washington Examiner had previously covered those efforts. While the Fang matter is distinct from the sexual misconduct investigation, the timing of the declassification compounds the legal and political pressure on Swalwell.
Some Democratic figures have shown a willingness to look past misconduct allegations when political stakes are high. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dismissed misconduct allegations against a Maine Democrat, framing the race as a lesser-evil choice. Whether Swalwell's former allies adopt a similar posture or distance themselves entirely remains an open question, one that may depend on what investigators find on those seized devices.
Several critical questions remain unanswered. Which specific federal agency executed the SFO and D.C. search warrants? What evidence, beyond electronic devices, did agents take from the Washington residence? Has either the Manhattan DA or the LA County Sheriff's Department moved beyond a preliminary investigation toward a grand jury or formal charges?
Swalwell built his congressional career as one of President Donald Trump's chief antagonists, earning a national profile through his combative media appearances and his role on the House Intelligence Committee. That profile made him a leading contender in the California governor's race, and now makes his legal exposure all the more conspicuous. He leaves behind a congressional seat, a derailed gubernatorial campaign, a wife and three children, and a growing roster of accusers whose claims federal investigators considered serious enough to put before a judge.
Politicians who dismiss damaging reports as rumors sometimes find that the facts catch up with them. Swalwell cooperated with agents at the airport. Whether that cooperation extends to what they find on his devices is another matter entirely.
For years, Swalwell lectured the country about accountability. Now accountability has come looking for him, with a warrant.