Former Rep. Eric Swalwell was met by FBI agents at San Francisco International Airport as he stepped off a plane, with federal authorities seizing his cellphone and laptop in connection with a criminal investigation, according to newly obtained video.
Surveillance footage of the Aug. 15 encounter, obtained exclusively by The California Post, offers the first public glimpse of the airport search that took place shortly after Swalwell arrived in California.
In the video, Swalwell is seen near his arrival gate wearing a hat, black sweatshirt and sneakers as he speaks with several agents while other passengers move through the terminal. The former Democratic congressman appears composed and cooperative during the exchange.
The footage later shows Swalwell, carrying a backpack and pulling a rolling bag, being escorted through San Francisco’s airport. He is led up an escalator before reaching a hallway marked with a “restricted area” sign, then enters a room where several people are present.
Agents served Swalwell with a search warrant at approximately 8:25 p.m. and took possession of a white Apple iPhone, along with its charging cable and wall adapter, as well as an Apple MacBook Pro, according to an inventory filed with the warrant.
Records show the FBI provided Swalwell with a copy of the search warrant and a list of the items seized.
The video does not show Swalwell being arrested, and he was reportedly permitted to leave once the search was completed.
The next day, agents carried out additional warrants at Swalwell’s Washington, D.C., residence, where they seized other potential evidence, a source previously told The Post.
The FBI warrant used to seize Swalwell’s phone and laptop cited a federal civil-rights statute that can be used to prosecute public officials who abuse their government power — suggesting the feds may suspect Swalwell used his official role to silence women who accused him of sexual misconduct.
One former staffer has accused Swalwell of raping her when she was too intoxicated to consent, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Another woman has accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2018, while two others have alleged he sent them unsolicited images of his genitals.
Swalwell has denied wrongdoing.
The allegations prompted Swalwell to end his campaign for California governor and resign from Congress on April 14 as he faced a looming House Ethics Committee investigation into alleged misconduct and sexual assault involving an employee under his supervision.
Before ending his campaign, however, Swalwell’s lawyer sent a threatening letter to individuals accusing him of “nonconsensual sexual encounters” — warning that the then-congressman could sue for defamation over rampant online rumors about alleged inappropriate behavior with women.
The Department of Justice opened an investigation into Swalwell in April as the former congressman faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell, who is also the subject of a state ethics invetigation, represented California in Congress for seven terms and previously served in local government and as a prosecutor. He also briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
Swalwell and his representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
