FBI Seizes Eric Swalwell's Phone, Laptop as Feds Weigh Civil Rights Charge in Sex Assault Probe
Agents confronted the former California congressman at a San Francisco airport and searched his D.C. home — with a new court filing revealing investigators are examining a rarely used civil-rights statute.
FBI agents seized former Rep. Eric Swalwell's iPhone and MacBook Pro during a confrontation at San Francisco International Airport, then searched his Washington, D.C. home the next day, as part of an escalating federal investigation into sexual assault and misconduct allegations against the California Democrat, according to a court filing made public this week.
The filing, made in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, confirmed the seizure of Swalwell's devices under a federal search warrant. NBC News reported the airport confrontation happened Saturday, Aug. 15, with the home search following the next day.
A Possible Civil Rights Charge
According to CBS News, multiple sources say investigators are examining whether to bring a charge under 18 U.S.C. Section 242 — willful deprivation of constitutional rights "under color of law" — a statute typically reserved for officials accused of abusing government power. Swalwell has not been arrested or charged with any crime.
THESE ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE FLAT FALSE.
Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported allegations from multiple women, including a former aide who said she was assaulted in 2019 and again in 2024, and model Lonna Drewes, who has accused him of drugging, raping and choking her in 2018. Swalwell has denied the allegations, though he has separately acknowledged making "mistakes in judgment."
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro opened a tipline in April for individuals with information related to Swalwell's conduct in Washington. It's unclear how many tips that effort generated or whether they factored into last weekend's searches.
Neither the FBI nor Swalwell's attorney responded to requests for comment from NBC News or CBS News. The Washington Post separately confirmed the device seizures were part of the sexual assault inquiry.
What's Next
No charges have been filed, and legal experts note a Section 242 case would face a high evidentiary bar. The investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear when — or whether — prosecutors will seek an indictment. Swalwell, who represented California's 14th Congressional District for over a decade before resigning, has not announced any future political plans.