FBI raids California home tied to former Congressman Eric Swalwell - US media
The California Democrat has faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations which he has denied.
Key points
- FBI officers raided a California home in connection with the investigation into former US Congressman Eric Swalwell, according to US media.
- Swalwell, 45, dropped out of California's governor's race and gave up his House seat after sexual misconduct allegations emerged.
- His attorney Sara Azari has called the accusations "fabricated" and a "political hit job".
FBI officers have raided a California home as part of the investigation into former US Congressman Eric Swalwell, US media report. Swalwell, 45, left the House of Representatives and ended his California governor's campaign earlier this year after allegations of sexual misconduct while in office emerged.
In August, the FBI stopped the former Democratic lawmaker at an airport, seized his electronic devices and searched his Washington DC home as part of the same investigation. Swalwell has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Allegations and denials
Multiple women have made allegations against Swalwell, including that he raped one victim while she was too intoxicated to respond and that he sent women unsolicited nude photographs. He also faces separate probes in New York City and Los Angeles over the allegations.
His attorney Sara Azari said around the time the claims were first reported: "These accusations are false, fabricated, and deeply offensive - a calculated and transparent political hit job." The BBC said it had contacted Swalwell's lawyer and the Department of Justice for comment.
These accusations are false, fabricated, and deeply offensive - a calculated and transparent political hit job
— Sara Azari
Political fallout and other inquiries
Swalwell had been a high-profile Democrat and a frequent cable news critic of President Donald Trump, and was briefly seen as a likely future California governor. He abruptly ended his gubernatorial bid once the allegations surfaced.
The House ethics committee had opened its own investigation, which ended when he left Congress. In August, the White House also declassified documents from a separate, unrelated FBI investigation into his alleged 2015 relationship with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese spy; many details were already known and he never faced related charges.
