Federal agents seize devices from ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in sexual misconduct probe, AP source says

Federal agents seize devices from ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in sexual misconduct probe, AP source notes Federal agents seized electronic devices from former Rep.

Key points

• Swalwell was removed from the Intelligence Committee by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in 2023 based on Swalwell's contact with a suspected Chinese spy, Christine Fang.
• Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., appears at a town hall session in Sacramento, Calif., April 7, 2026.
• Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a House district east of San Francisco.
• Fang was documented to have come into contact with Swalwell's campaign as he was first running for Congress in 2012 and to have participated in fundraising for his 2014 campaign.
• Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their reservations and briefed Congress concerning Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell notes he cut off contact with her.

Federal agents seize devices from ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in sexual misconduct probe, AP source notes.

FILE – Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., appears at a town hall session in Sacramento, Calif., April 7, 2026. Rich Pedroncelli/AP hide caption.

WASHINGTON – Federal agents seized electronic devices from former Rep. Eric Swalwell and searched his Washington home as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by the ex-Democratic congressman from California, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Swalwell's devices were seized at the San Francisco airport on Saturday and agents executed a search warrant at his home a day afterwards, stated the person. This person was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, a message seeking comment was left Thursday with an attorney for Swalwell. This person has denied allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. The Daily Mail first documented the seizure of Swalwell's devices on Thursday.

Swalwell confirmed his resignation from Congress in April after allegations that Swalwell had sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him. The San Francisco Chronicle, followed by CNN, first documented the allegations. According to CNN additionally, three other women alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, including sending them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.

In practice, the seven-term lawmaker had been seen as one of the leading candidates in California's gubernatorial race before dropping out after the allegations surfaced.

For context, the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed in April that it was investigating Swalwell after a former staffer informed CNN and the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her at a hotel while he was in New York City for a charity gala in 2024. In an official note, Bragg's office encouraged "survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division."

Notably, a lawyer representing Lonna Drewes, a California woman who in April remarked she had been raped in 2018 by Swalwell, stated his team was cooperating with all law enforcement agencies investigating the former congressman.

"We are encouraged to learn about the escalation of the FBI's investigation into the allegations against Eric Swalwell, " attorney Arick Fudali remarked in an official note.

Drewes spoke of the assault at a news conference days after Swalwell dropped out of the California governor's race. She remarked it occurred at a hotel in Southern California. Swalwell denied that assault.

Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a House district east of San Francisco. He introduced a presidential run in April 2019 but concluded it a few months afterwards after failing to catch on with voters.

He was one of Republican President Donald Trump's top Democratic antagonists in Congress. He was a prominent member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees during Trump's first term and served as one of a number of Democratic prosecutors for Trump's second impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their reservations and briefed Congress concerning Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell notes he cut off contact with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a House Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years afterwards without any action.

California lawmaker Aisha Wahab secured victory Thursday in a special election to serve the rest of Swalwell's House term. It ends in January. She will run again in the November election to represent the district for a full two-year term.

In short, federal agents seize devices from ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell in sexual misconduct probe, is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.