Federal law enforcement agents searched a home in suburban Los Angeles early on Tuesday as part of an investigation into Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress amid a wave of sexual misconduct allegations, a law enforcement official and two people familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press.
asserted
official → search → Press
Agents searched the Beverly Hills home of the wealthy developer and Swalwell donor Stephen Cloobeck, where the Democratic ex-congressman spent time before resigning from office in April, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation.
uncertain
who → search → investigation
Swalwell has denied criminal wrongdoing.
asserted
Swalwell → deny → wrongdoing
Messages seeking comment were left for Swalwell’s attorney and for a lawyer who represented Cloobeck in another matter.
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who → seek → matter
Cloobeck, the founder of the Diamond Resorts International timeshare company, told the New York Post in April that he cut ties with Swalwell as accusations against him mounted.
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accusations → tell → him
“I am no longer associated with a man that takes advantage of women,” Cloobeck told the newspaper.
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Cloobeck → associate → newspaper
“I support women’s rights.”
asserted
I → support → rights
Tuesday’s search is the latest escalation in the federal investigation of Swalwell – one of several investigations begun after a woman came forward with allegations that he sexually assaulted her twice, including when she worked for him.
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she → begin → him
The San Francisco Chronicle, followed by CNN, first reported the allegations.
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Chronicle → follow → allegations
CNN also reported that three other women alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, including sending them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.
asserted
women → report → messages
Asked about the search at Cloobeck’s address, an FBI spokesperson, Lourdes Arocho, said the bureau “early this morning … conducted an operation in the Los Angeles region related to an ongoing criminal investigation.
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bureau → ask → investigation
“We have no further comment.”
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We → have → comment
In August, federal agents seized electronic devices from Swalwell at the San Francisco airport and searched his Washington DC home.
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agents → seize → home
Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a House district east of San Francisco.
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Swalwell → elect → Francisco
He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but ended it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.
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He → launch → voters
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.
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allegations → see → race
The office of the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, has said it is also investigating Swalwell after a former staffer told CNN and the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her at a hotel while he was in New York City for a charity gala in 2024.
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he → say → 2024
In a statement, Bragg’s office encouraged “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact” its special victims division.
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office → encourage → division
Los Angeles prosecutors were also said to be weighing charges.
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prosecutors → say → charges
He was a prominent member of the House judiciary and intelligence committees during Trump’s first presidency and served as one of several Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment after the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
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He → serve → Capitol
Swalwell was removed from the intelligence committee by the then US House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, in 2023 based on Swalwell’s contact with a suspected Chinese spy, Christine Fang.
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Swalwell → remove → spy
Fang was reported 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.
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he → report → campaign
Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their concerns and briefed Congress about Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell says he cut off contact with her.
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he → alert → her
He was not accused of wrongdoing, and a House ethics committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years later without any action.
asserted
that → accuse → action
The Aporia
