FBI searches ex-Rep. Swalwell’s D.C. residence, seize digital gadgets – NBC Los Angeles
Federal brokers seized digital gadgets from former Rep. Eric Swalwell and searched his Washington, D.C. residence as a part of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by the ex-Democratic congressman from California, based on The Related Press and NBC Information.
Swalwell was stopped by the FBI on the San Francisco airport on Saturday and his digital gadgets had been taken as a part of the execution of a search warrant, an individual conversant in the matter instructed NBC Information.
Brokers executed a search warrant at his residence a day later, mentioned the individual, who was not licensed to publicly talk about an ongoing investigation and spoke on the situation of anonymity.
An lawyer for Swalwell didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Swalwell has beforehand denied allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
The FBI declined to touch upon the warrants.
Swalwell introduced his resignation from Congress in April following allegations that Swalwell had sexually assaulted a lady twice, together with when she labored for him. The San Francisco Chronicle, adopted by CNN, first reported the allegations. CNN additionally reported that three different girls alleged numerous sorts of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, together with sending them unsolicited specific messages or nude pictures.
The seven-term lawmaker had been seen as one of many main candidates in California’s gubernatorial race earlier than dropping out after the allegations surfaced.
The workplace of Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg confirmed in April that it was investigating Swalwell after a former staffer instructed CNN and the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her at a resort whereas he was in New York Metropolis for a charity gala in 2024. In a press release, Bragg’s workplace inspired “survivors and anybody with information of those allegations to contact our Particular Victims Division.”
Jocelyn Moran and Raj Mathai gives the newest on Eric Swalwell resigning from Congress following sexual assault allegations.
Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a Home district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 however ended it a couple of months later after failing to catch on with voters.
He was one in every of Republican President Donald Trump’s high Democratic antagonists in Congress. He was a outstanding member of the Home Judiciary and Intelligence committees throughout Trump’s first time period and served as one in every of a number of Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol.
Swalwell was faraway from the Intelligence Committee by then-Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in 2023 based mostly on Swalwell’s contact with a suspected Chinese language spy, Christine Fang.
Fang was reported to have come into contact with Swalwell’s marketing campaign as he was first working for Congress in 2012 and to have participated in fundraising for his 2014 marketing campaign.
Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their considerations and briefed Congress about Fang in 2015, at which level Swalwell says he reduce off contact along with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a Home Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years later with none motion.
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Related Press reporter Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
