A federal investigation into former Rep. Eric Swalwell appeared to gain steam after agents seized his electronic devices and raided his Washington home over the weekend, even briefly holding the former lawmaker at San Francisco International Airport, a person familiar with the inquiry told The Times.
Swalwell, a Democrat from Dublin, dropped out of the California governor’s race and resigned from Congress in April after allegations that he sexually assaulted a former staffer and acted inappropriately with other young women, which he denied at the time. Before he dropped out of the race, polls indicated that Swalwell was among the front-runners.
The source said Swalwell was held Saturday at SFO for search purposes and released the same day. Federal prosecutors are using civil rights law to pursue an inquiry into his conduct as a member of Congress. Authorities in New York and Los Angeles County are conducting separate investigations.
His home was searched Sunday by federal agents, the source added, based on a warrant in connection with a civil rights investigation concerning the sexual assault allegations.
Investigators sought to seize Swalwell’s white iPhone and MacBook Pro, according to court records.
They sought the devices as part of their inquiry into whether Swalwell violated a federal law that makes it a crime for anyone acting under official government authority to willfully deprive a person of their constitutional rights, according to the court filings.
Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing, but the accusations upended the California governor’s race and shook Capitol Hill, where both parties reckoned with a culture of secrecy and silence around sexual impropriety.
One accuser, Lonna Drewes, said at a news conference that she was drugged and raped by the onetime politician in 2018 in Beverly Hills. Drewes said she met Swalwell three times as she was growing her fashion software company and toying with the idea of a political career.
On the third occasion, Drewes said she believes that Swalwell drugged her glass of wine. She said they were supposed to go to a political event and stopped by his hotel room to retrieve some paperwork.
She said she found herself incapacitated despite having had only one drink.
“He raped me and he choked me and while he was choking me I lost consciousness and I thought I died,” she said. “I did not consent to any sexual activity.”
Sara Azari, an attorney for Swalwell, denied Drewes’ characterization of the incident at the time. “Two adults consenting, which is our position, is not against the law,” she said.
Swalwell and Azari didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The former staffer for Swalwell told the San Francisco Chronicle that Swalwell began sending her nude pictures on Snapchat and messages after she was hired by his office in 2019. She was 21 at the time.
In September of that year, she said she had drinks with the congressman, blacked out and woke up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed, according to the Chronicle.
In 2024, when she no longer worked for Swalwell, she said she attended a charity event honoring the congressman and met him for drinks afterward. She was intoxicated but recalled Swalwell forcing himself upon her, and that she pushed him away and said, “No,” according to the Chronicle.
Azari said in April that Swalwell denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and assault and would pursue “every legal remedy” against those making the claims.
“These accusations are false, fabricated and deeply offensive — a calculated and transparent political hit job designed to destroy the reputation of a man who has spent 20 years in public service,” Azari said.
The reporting by the Chronicle and CNN uncovering Swalwell’s alleged activity prompted national headlines, forcing him out of Congress and the governor’s race.
At least one other relationship Swalwell had with a woman also raised concerns among law enforcement over its potential national security implications.
Newly declassified documents released Monday from a White House task force reveal that Swalwell told FBI investigators in 2015 that he had a sexual relationship with a woman who was later revealed to be a suspected Chinese spy.
Christine Fang, or Fang Fang, worked as a volunteer raising money for Swalwell’s congressional campaign. Swalwell cut off ties to Fang after intelligence officials briefed him and other members of Congress about Chinese efforts to infiltrate the government. Swalwell was never accused of wrongdoing, a point he repeatedly highlighted when asked about his relationship with Fang in a November interview with The Times the day before he announced his gubernatorial campaign.
“I’ll let the FBI speak for itself,” he said.
Asked whether he had sexual relations with Fang, Swalwell flatly denied the allegations.
“No, no, no. This, it’s always been bull—-,” Swalwell said.
Winton reported from Los Angeles, Smith from Sacramento and Wilner from Washington. Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report .
