Eric Swalwell FBI Video: New Footage Shows Agents Surrounding Former Congressman at San Francisco Airport
Newly obtained surveillance video shows former Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell surrounded by FBI agents shortly after he stepped off a plane at San Francisco International Airport on Aug. 15. The footage offers the first public look at the encounter, which ended with agents seizing Swalwell’s Apple iPhone and MacBook Pro laptop.
In the video, Swalwell is seen wearing a hat, a black sweatshirt, and sneakers as agents approach him near the gate while other travelers continue moving through the terminal. He appears calm and cooperative throughout the exchange. Carrying a backpack and pulling a rolling suitcase, Swalwell is escorted through the airport, up an escalator, and into a hallway marked “restricted area.”
At approximately 8:25 p.m., agents executed the search warrant and confiscated his phone, its charging accessories, and his laptop. Following the search, agents provided Swalwell with a copy of the warrant and an inventory of the items taken. He was not arrested and was allowed to leave the airport once the search concluded.
Warrant Tied to Civil Rights Statute and Sexual Misconduct Allegations
According to reporting on the warrant’s language, it cited a federal civil-rights statute that can be used to prosecute public officials who abuse their government authority. That detail suggests investigators may be examining whether Swalwell used his position in Congress to silence women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.
At least five women have come forward with allegations against Swalwell. One former staffer has alleged that Swalwell raped her while she was too intoxicated to consent, and separately claimed the assault occurred years after she stopped working for him. Another woman has accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2018. Two additional women have alleged he sent them unsolicited explicit images. Swalwell has denied wrongdoing, and the contents of the seized devices have not been made public.
The investigation marks a dramatic fall for Swalwell, who represented California in Congress for seven terms and briefly ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. Earlier this year, he ended his campaign for California governor and resigned from Congress as the allegations against him mounted and drew increasing legal scrutiny.
The use of a civil-rights statute in the warrant raises the stakes of the case beyond a typical misconduct inquiry. If investigators find evidence that Swalwell used his official position to intimidate or silence accusers, it could expose him to federal criminal charges tied to abuse of power, not just the underlying misconduct allegations themselves. The case also underscores how a sitting lawmaker’s downfall, once confined to public accusations and political consequences, can escalate into a full federal criminal investigation with search warrants and device seizures.
The Justice Department opened its investigation into the allegations against Swalwell earlier this year, and the airport search represents a significant escalation in that inquiry. Investigators are expected to review the contents of the seized phone and laptop as part of the ongoing probe.
No charges have been filed against Swalwell as of now, and it remains unclear how long the investigation into the civil-rights allegations will take. Federal prosecutors have not indicated a timeline for a charging decision, and Swalwell has not issued a public response to the newly released footage. As the case develops, additional details from the seized devices, court filings, or further statements from investigators could shape the direction of the inquiry in the coming weeks.
