Former California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell’s political troubles are far from over.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has ordered the disgraced former congressman to return more than $30,000 in campaign contributions from his now-defunct gubernatorial campaign — or potentially face further enforcement action, including an audit.
In a June 15 letter first reported by the Daily Caller, the FEC informed Swalwell’s campaign committee that at least 16 contributions received for the general election “do not appear to have been remedied” following his abrupt withdrawal from California’s 2026 governor’s race.
Federal regulations require candidates who abandon a campaign before the general election to refund general-election donations within 60 days. According to the FEC, Swalwell failed to properly address a series of contributions received during the final months of his campaign.
“Since the candidate is not seeking office and will not participate in the general election, any contributions received for the general election must be returned to the donors,” the agency wrote.
The commission further warned that using general-election funds to pay primary-election debts is prohibited under federal law and directed the campaign to immediately document corrective action through amended filings. The FEC noted that additional action could follow if the issue remains unresolved.
The latest campaign finance headache lands just months after Swalwell’s spectacular political downfall.
Once viewed as a rising Democrat star and frequent Trump critic, Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign imploded in April after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. One former staffer alleged that after a night of drinking in New York City in 2024, she woke up in a hotel room to find Swalwell having sex with her and said he ignored her repeated demands to stop. The allegation prompted the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to open a criminal investigation. Swalwell has denied wrongdoing and called the allegations false. (RELATED: New Accuser Lonna Drewes Details Sexual Assault Claim Against Eric Swalwell)
The fallout was swift.
Major Democrat allies abandoned him, campaign officials resigned, endorsements evaporated, and pressure mounted inside Congress for him to step down. Within days, Swalwell suspended his gubernatorial campaign and announced his resignation from the House seat he had held since 2013.
His resignation triggered a special election in California’s 14th Congressional District. State Sen. Aisha Wahab advanced this week to the Aug. 18 runoff to fill the remainder of Swalwell’s term.
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