FBI Seizes Eric Swalwell's Devices As Special Election Fills His Vacant House Seat
Federal agents seized former Rep. Eric Swalwell's electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday and searched his Washington, D.C., home the following day in a sexual misconduct probe.[1]
A person who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity confirmed agents executed a separate search warrant at Swalwell's D.C. residence on Sunday, Aug. 16.[2] The seizure was first reported by the Daily Mail, the reporting shows.[2] Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Aisha Wahab won a special-election runoff on Tuesday, Aug. 18, to fill Swalwell's House seat, a result finally called Thursday after additional mail ballots were processed.[3] Wahab will serve the remainder of the term through January 2027 and will face her runoff opponent, Melissa Hernandez, again in November.[3]
Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 after multiple women publicly accused him of sexual misconduct, including allegations of rape in 2018 and 2024, which he has denied.[2] The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has confirmed an active investigation into an alleged 2024 rape and is urging potential survivors or witnesses to contact its Special Victims Division.[1]
Early coverage centered on the public accusations and Swalwell's April resignation.[2] Later reports, including those drawing on AP reporting, added specifics about alleged incidents and described the airport seizure and home search as an escalation in the probes.[4]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- Federal agents seized Eric Swalwell's electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and executed a search warrant at his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday, August 16, 2026, as part of a sexual misconduct investigation.
- The details of the device seizure and home search were attributed to a person who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, and the seizure was first reported by the Daily Mail.
- MS NOW reported that the FBI seized Swalwell's phone and searched his Washington, D.C., home and said at least one woman who accused Swalwell of sexual assault was interviewed by the FBI earlier in 2026 (the outlet is withholding her name for privacy).
- The Manhattan District Attorney's Office confirmed its investigation into an alleged 2024 rape in New York City remains active and is encouraging potential survivors or witnesses to contact its Special Victims Division.
- NPR reports that at least two women have alleged rape (in 2018 and 2024) and that three other women have accused Swalwell of other sexual misconduct, including sending unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.
- Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 after the allegations surfaced; he has denied sexual assault while acknowledging unspecified “mistakes in judgment.”
- Aisha Wahab won the special election runoff to fill Swalwell's U.S. House seat on Tuesday, August 18, 2026; the race was not called until Thursday, August 20, 2026, after additional mail ballots were processed, and Wahab will serve the remainder of the term through January 2027 and face Melissa Hernandez again in the November 2026 general election.
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- NPR/AP report that federal agents seized Eric Swalwell's electronic devices at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and searched his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday, August 16, 2026, as part of a sexual misconduct investigation.
- The article attributes the details of the device seizure and home search to a single person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity and says the Daily Mail first reported the seizure of the devices.
- The piece reiterates that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office confirmed in April 2026 that it is investigating Swalwell for an alleged 2024 rape in New York City and is encouraging potential survivors or witnesses to contact its Special Victims Division.
- It recounts earlier public allegations that Swalwell sexually assaulted or raped women in 2018 and 2024 and that three other women accused him of various forms of sexual misconduct, including sending unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.
- The article notes that Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 after the allegations surfaced and had been considered a leading candidate for California governor before dropping out of that race.
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Democratic state Sen. Aisha Wahab won a special election runoff in California's 14th Congressional District to fill Eric Swalwell's former U.S. House seat.
- The race was not called until Thursday, August 20, 2026, after Alameda County officials processed additional mail ballots and it became clear Melissa Hernandez could not close Wahab's narrow lead.
- Wahab will serve only the remainder of Swalwell's term through January 2027 and will face Hernandez again in the November 2026 general election for the next full two-year term.
- The article reiterates that Swalwell resigned in April 2026 after sexual assault and misconduct allegations and notes that over the weekend before publication the FBI seized his phone and raided his Washington, D.C., home, tying the resignation to an escalating federal probe.
- The AP-based PBS report specifies that Swalwell's electronic devices were seized by federal agents at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
- It adds that agents executed a separate search warrant at Swalwell's Washington, D.C., home on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
- The article confirms that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office investigation into a 2024 alleged rape in New York remains active, with Bragg's office again encouraging potential survivors or witnesses to contact its Special Victims Division.
- The story reaffirms that at least two women have alleged rape (in 2018 and 2024) and that CNN previously reported three additional women alleging other forms of sexual misconduct, framing the federal search activity as an escalation of those probes.
- An MS NOW source said the FBI seized former Rep. Eric Swalwell's phone on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
- The same source said the FBI raided and searched Swalwell's home in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, August 15, 2026, as part of the sexual misconduct investigation.
- MS NOW reported that at least one woman who accused Swalwell of sexual assault was interviewed by the FBI earlier in 2026 about her allegation, though the outlet is withholding her name for privacy.
- The article reiterates that Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 after multiple women alleged sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, which he has denied while admitting to unspecified 'mistakes in judgment'.