Eric Swalwell Claims With Straight Face He ‘Doesn’t Wake Up Every Day’ To Fight Trump

Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell forcefully denied allegations of mortgage fraud on MSNBC Thursday evening and blamed his criminal referral on his status as a “vocal critic” of President Donald Trump.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte referred Swalwell to the Department of Justice on Thursday, alleging that the California lawmaker made statements that were untrue or misleading in documents to purchase a $1.2 million home in the nation’s capital. Hours later, the congressman appeared on MSNBC’s “The Weeknight” in which the prominent Trump detractor maintained his innocence while adding that he does not “wake up every day” to fight the president.

“These allegations are false. Just like the allegations against [Democratic California Sen.] Adam Schiff are false and [Democratic New York Attorney General] Letitia James are false and [Federal Reserve Governor] Lisa Cook are false,” Swalwell told host Symone Sanders-Townsend, naming three notable individuals under federal investigation or indictment — in James’ case — for mortgage fraud.

“And a spoiler alert for you, there will be allegations next week against somebody that will be false,” the congressman added. “This is really about Donald Trump going after his political enemies. And no one has been a more vocal critic than me.” (RELATED: ‘Dismay And Disgust’: Federal Judge Resigns, Blasting ‘Existential Threat’ Trump Over ‘Angry Attacks On The Courts’)

Swalwell claimed he has “one of the only remaining lawsuits against Donald Trump” relating to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

“I don’t wake up every day going to work to fight Donald Trump. I fight for Californians. He just happens to get in the way,” the Democrat told MSNBC. “And if he [Trump] thinks for one second that me or Adam Schiff or Tish James or Lisa Cook are going to back down or hide under the bed or shrink, he is wrong.”

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“I only have one mortgage and a residence in California, and I spend my time every week between California and Washington, D.C.,” Swalwell said later in the segment. “This is, again, just Donald Trump doing everything he can to target his enemies.”

The lawmaker then told MSNBC that his referral shows why control of Congress, which will be decided during the 2026 midterm elections, is important.

“This is why being in the majority also matters, because these guys think that they can do this because they’re invincible and there are no consequences. And a year from now we [Democrats] are going to win the majority. And that’s what we learned last Tuesday when California voters stood up against Donald Trump,” Swalwell said, referring to the overwhelming Nov. 4 passage of California’s Proposition 50, a measure to redraw his home state’s map to flip up to five seats to Democratic control.

Swalwell told CNN in late September that if Democrats retake control of the House in 2026, they would subpoena “private actors” working with the Trump administration.

“And when we’re in the majority, we will have subpoena power and accountability will happen. So, Bill Pulte and any other lawless official who is carrying out these political prosecutions on behalf of Donald Trump, they should familiarize themselves with the Judiciary Committee room, because they’re going to be spending a lot of time there answering questions, and I sure hope everything they did was above board,” Swalwell said.

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