FBI Raids Beverly Hills Mansion of Billionaire Stephen Cloobeck, a Swalwell Donor, as Part of the Swalwell Investigation
About two dozen agents searched the home for several hours Tuesday morning. Several people were handcuffed and released, and no details were given on what was found. Cloobeck was not home. Swalwell denies the misconduct allegations.
Federal agents searched a Beverly Hills mansion owned by billionaire Stephen Cloobeck on Tuesday as part of the investigation into former Rep. Eric Swalwell, Fox News reports.
The raid. Fox says it began at about 6 a.m. local time with at least two dozen agents and lasted several hours. Several people were taken out in handcuffs and released soon after. Authorities gave no details on what they found, and Cloobeck was not at the home.
The link. Cloobeck is a longtime supporter of Swalwell's campaigns. In August, the FBI searched Swalwell's D.C. home and, according to Fox's sources, seized his devices at San Francisco International Airport. He was not arrested or detained. Earlier this year Cloobeck was arrested in an unrelated case, in which he faced charges of trying to influence witnesses in a criminal case against his fiancee.
Swalwell's status. The California Democrat resigned from Congress in April and left the governor's race after at least five women, including a former staffer, accused him of sexual misconduct or rape. He wrote then, "I will fight the serious false allegations made against me," and said he had to take ownership of the mistakes he did make.
A separate thread. Fox also notes that on Monday the White House's new Government Transparency Task Force declassified FBI records on Swalwell's contact with Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. In those records, Swalwell told agents he had "physical relations" with her a handful of times, the last in March 2015.
Note for readers: Fox does not say the raid targeted any crime by Cloobeck, who is not accused of anything in this case. The allegations against Swalwell are allegations, and he has denied them.