Eric Swalwell Prioritizes LA Mansion Over Voting Amid Gubernatorial Campaign

Congressman Eric Swalwell has been skipping key votes in the House while spending time at a lavish Beverly Hills estate owned by his affluent friend, according to recent revelations. Swalwell, who is currently campaigning for the governorship of California, seems to be enjoying the extravagant lifestyle afforded by staying at Stephen Cloobeck’s $23.4 million mansion.

This close association with Cloobeck, a Las Vegas timeshare magnate infamous for a controversial breakup with an OnlyFans model, has subjected Swalwell to increased scrutiny. Cloobeck affectionately calls Swalwell his “Little Brother,” further highlighting their tight-knit bond.

Evidence from social media suggests that since September, the congressman has frequented Cloobeck’s sprawling 9,700-square-foot property on at least 10 occasions.

Congressional records indicate that on three of those days, Swalwell posted videos from Cloobeck’s residence while neglecting his duties in the House, missing critical votes.

This behavior is not isolated; Swalwell has a history of absenteeism, having skipped more votes last year than any other sitting member of Congress, surpassing even the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, who passed away in March 2025.

Swalwell’s Instagram activity reveals he has utilized recognizable areas of Cloobeck’s mansion to conduct televised interviews and share content, raising questions about his priorities and commitment to his congressional responsibilities.

The mansion itself has been featured in architectural publications for its opulent design. 

The double-gated property has seven bathrooms, six bedrooms — including two master suites — and a tennis court.

Swalwell’s social media posts show him at the Beverly Hills palace with consistent backdrops, including a large square yellow abstract painting and a gray stone art wall. 

Cloobeck, who recently confirmed some of Swalwell’s visits to the mansion in an interview with Politico, saying of one televised hit: “That’s my backdrop. Mi casa, su casa.”

Elizabeth Ashford, a Democratic political consultant, said that Swalwell’s social media posts create “bad optics” for his gubernatorial campaign. 

“It reinforces the narrative that he’s skipped votes — a lot of votes — and in the case of ‘Where’s Waldo,’ or ‘Where’s Swalwell,’ he’s popping up in other places when he’s supposed to be doing his job,” Ashford said.

“And that begs an answer.”

One question is why Swalwell would need to stay at Cloobeck’s casa.

The Bay Area congressman’s neighbors in Livermore couldn’t identify Swalwell when The Post showed them his picture, despite Swalwell claiming to have lived on the quiet cul-de-sac since 2017.

“I’ve never seen him,” said Gita Prusty, who’s lived on the street for five years.

Campaign records show Swalwell has spent thousands of dollars on luxury hotel rooms in and around his district.

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Swalwell’s campaign, which did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment, has refused to provide any documentation on a lease agreement or monthly payments for the three-bedroom house, which is just 1,350 square feet and also home to another family.

“I honestly can’t figure out what’s going on with Eric Swalwell,” said Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for governor.

“He obviously has no interest in his current job, because he missed more votes than a member of Congress who died.”

“He clearly doesn’t have any real interest in California either, because he lives in another state.”

On Friday, a Sacramento judge tentatively struck down a lawsuit challenging Swalwell’s California residency claims.

A hearing is still expected to occur Monday.

Another potential issue with Swalwell’s stay at Cloobeck’s palace is whether it’s appropriate for a congressman to be receiving free stays and gifts — politically and personally — from an ardent campaign supporter.

Cloobeck not only is a max donor to Swalwell’s governor campaign, but he’s also given $1 million to a committee supporting Swalwell’s run for governor and is using resources from his own short-lived governor campaign last year to help the congressman.

Cloobeck told Politico his endorsement of Swalwell’s run for governor was a “merger” of campaigns before later dismissing his words as “tongue in cheek” and “business bravado.”

However, Cloobeck’s campaign spent millions on political research, and he claimed, “[Swalwell] has all my due diligence, all my research, everything,” before later clarifying there was “no data dump.”

Cloobeck did not respond to requests for comment.

On top of Cloobeck’s political spending, congressional gift reports show the timeshare mogul spent $31,000 on a trip flying Swalwell out to Nice, France.

Cloobeck has a reputation for eccentric, if not volatile, behavior.

Beyond a nasty breakup with an OnlyFans creator, a claimed in a lawsuit to be friends with Cloobeck for a decade before they started dating, accused Cloobeck of going on a “psychotic break” fueled by drugs and alcohol, including ketamine, according to a report by the San Francisco Standard.

Clobeck defended himself by making a crude comment about the woman’s sexual performance to a Vanity Fair reporter.

The lawsuit was later dismissed, and a settlement was reportedly reached.

Inside Cloobeck’s mansion, the decor includes a large image in his office depicting a man hoisting a Ku Klux Klan member in a noose — a piece he has used to signal his solidarity.

“See why I’m a Democrat?” Cloobeck told The Standard.

Swalwell has not only missed votes while posting videos of visits to Cloobeck’s home, but he also posted videos on Instagram of himself at the home during the government shutdown in October.

The Post found social media posts during Swalwell’s campaign rollout in November, another campaign stop in December and then again over multiple days in January.

Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell’s campaign, told Politico: “The campaign is grateful to have Stephen Cloobeck’s support in this race.”