FEC Gives CA Rep. Eric Swalwell an Ultimatum
Former Rep. Eric Swalwell is facing scrutiny from the Federal Election Commission after the agency warned that his now-suspended California gubernatorial campaign must refund certain contributions or risk additional enforcement action, including a potential audit.
According to a June 15 letter from the FEC, officials reviewing an amended campaign finance report identified a series of donations that appear to remain unresolved following Swalwell’s decision to end his gubernatorial bid. The agency specifically cited 16 contributions from individual donors that, in its view, “do not appear to have been remedied.”
Disgraced Eric Swalwell must return $30k in donations or face the consequences: FEC https://t.co/O7Pyj53QUH pic.twitter.com/bCqH4nbToo
— New York Post (@nypost) June 17, 2026
Federal campaign finance regulations require candidates who withdraw from a race to return general election contributions within a specified timeframe. The FEC reminded the former congressman that because he is no longer seeking office, donations designated for the general election cannot be retained by the 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, in accordance with 11 CFR 110.1(b)(3),” the letter states.
The agency noted that Swalwell’s campaign received more than $30,000 in donations during the reporting period covered by the review, which ran from October 1 through December 31, 2025.
Federal regulators also emphasized that general election funds cannot be redirected to cover expenses from a primary campaign.
“The use of general election contributions to pay primary debts and obligations is prohibited under the Act as such use could result in individuals making contributions with respect to the primary elections in excess of the $3,500 per election limit,” the FEC wrote.
While acknowledging that the campaign had provided explanations regarding corrective actions already taken on some donations, the commission indicated that additional documentation is needed.
“Please inform the Commission of your corrective action promptly by filing an amended report or Miscellaneous Document,” the letter continued, warning that further action could follow if the matter is not resolved.
The campaign finance issue arrives amid a much larger controversy surrounding Swalwell’s departure from public office.
On April 13, 2026, Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced from multiple women, including a former staff member. According to reports, the former aide alleged that after a night of drinking in New York in April 2024, she awoke to Swalwell having sex with her in a hotel room and that he allegedly continued after she told him to stop. The allegation reportedly prompted an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
One day before resigning from Congress, Swalwell announced he was suspending his campaign for governor of California.
With Swalwell no longer in office and no longer seeking statewide office, the focus has shifted to both the ongoing legal questions surrounding the allegations against him and the campaign finance issues now highlighted by the FEC.