Rep. Eric Swalwell faces mortgage fraud probe by DOJ

Rep. Eric Swalwell has been referred to the Justice Department for a criminal probe of alleged mortgage and tax fraud.

The probe is focused on millions of dollars in loans and refinancing in which the California Democrat declared his primary residence as his home in Washington.

Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday alleging that Mr. Swalwell may have made false or misleading statements in loan documents, according to reports.

The investigation is into possible mortgage fraud, tax deceit at the state and local levels, insurance deception and any related crimes, according to NBC News, which first reported the investigation.

“As the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him, the only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me,” Mr. Swalwell said on social media.

Mr. Swalwell is the fourth prominent political figure hit with mortgage fraud allegations from the Trump administration. Others, such as former FBI Director James Comey and former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, have been charged with other crimes.

The president has publicly called for the prosecution of people, some of whom are his political opponents.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, is being prosecuted for mortgage fraud, and both Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and Sen. Adam B. Schiff, California Democrat, are accused of similar mortgage fraud offenses. All three have denied wrongdoing.

“Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come — I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world,” Mr. Swalwell said in his statement. “Of course, I will not end my lawsuit against him. And I will not stop speaking out against the President and speaking up for Californians.”

Mr. Swalwell was involved in a House committee investigation into Mr. Trump’s alleged 2016 election collusion with the Russians, a claim the president calls the Russia hoax. The congressman also sued the president over his role in the Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021, and played a role in both of Mr. Trump’s impeachment proceedings.

The DOJ probe comes on the heels of MSNBC reporting that two sources confirmed the lawmaker has “all but decided he is running for governor” in California.