Newly released security footage shows FBI agents confronting former Congressman Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport as they executed a search warrant for his electronic devices. Swalwell, 45, surrendered his cell phone and MacBook Pro as part of a federal criminal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies.
The surveillance footage from August 15 shows Swalwell, dressed in a baseball cap, hoodie, and sneakers, being approached by multiple agents near his departure gate. He appeared to cooperate with their requests.
The search warrant, filed on August 13, was reportedly executed under a federal statute that prohibits officials from abusing their authority to deprive someone of constitutional rights. It remains unclear how the law applies to Swalwell's specific case. Agents also entered his Washington D.C. residence to seize additional evidence.
Sources indicated Swalwell was cooperative during the airport encounter. The day after the airport incident, agents visited his D.C. home but did not find him or his wife, Brittany Watts, present.
Swalwell faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from at least four women. One former staffer claimed he raped her twice in 2019 and 2024 when she was too intoxicated to consent. Another woman alleged he drugged and raped her in 2018, and two women stated he sent them unsolicited explicit images.
The Department of Justice launched its investigation in April. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were also investigating. Swalwell has denied the allegations, which contributed to him withdrawing from the California gubernatorial race and resigning from Congress.
Separately, declassified records released by the White House Transparency Task Force indicated Swalwell had admitted to the FBI to having occasional intimate contact with a Chinese national known as 'Fang Fang.' This individual had previously helped bundle donations for Swalwell's 2014 re-election campaign and placed an intern in his congressional office. Swalwell has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the Fang Fang matter.
While denying the sexual misconduct claims, Swalwell has acknowledged making 'mistakes in judgment' and apologized to his wife. News reports in May showed Watts without her wedding ring.