Eric Swalwell’s Bid For California Governor Hits Snag Over Residency Claims

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has a major hurdle to overcome in his bid to succeed California Governor Gavin Newsom - he has been accused of not living in the Golden State. 

California’s constitution requires gubernatorial candidates to have resided in the state for the previous five years, however a new lawsuit from conservative activist and filmmaker Joel Gilbert claims that Swalwell’s “home address” listed on his election paperwork is actually a lawyer’s office. 

According to Gilbert, Swalwell actually lives in a $1.2 million, six-bedroom mansion in Washington DC with his wife Brittany Watts, who apparently didn’t take his last name (how progressive!) and their three children. The couple listed the DC home as their ‘principal residence’ when they took out a mortgage on it in April 2022. 

Swalwell doesn’t appear to own any property in California at all, Gilbert claims in a five-page petition for writ of mandate filed against California Secretary of State Shirley Weber – accusing Swalwell of perjury, and imploring Weber to declare him ineligible to succeed Newsom in November’s election, the Daily Mail reports.

Swalwell filed a California Form 501 – Candidate Intention Statement – on December 4 giving his address as a business suite in a Capitol Mall, Sacramento, high-rise.

‘That address is not a residence. It is the office address of Swalwell’s campaign attorneys,’ Gilbert claims.

‘Form 501 is signed under penalty of perjury, and the use of a non-residential address constitutes a material representation in a filing required to establish candidate qualifications,’ he claimed

The suit asks Weber to ‘fulfill her constitutional duty’ by disqualifying Swalwell from a crowded field that includes Democrat Congresswoman Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and conservative commentator Steve Hilton.

Failing to do so would cause ‘irreparable harm’ to California voters and ‘undermine ballot integrity.’ -Daily Mail

“Eric Swalwell has no California address,” Gilbert told the outlet. “So either he’s guilty of mortgage fraud in Washington, DC, or he’s ineligible to run for Governor of California, he can’t have it both ways.” 

Swalwell has represented the San Francisco Bay Area since 2012, and drew notable criticism over an alleged extramarital relationship with woman suspected of being a Chinese honeytrap spy, Christine Fang (Fang Fang), who came to the US as a college student before spending years cozying up to prominent California politicians. She reportedly worked on his 2014 re-election campaign before evaporating into thin air. 

The alleged affair cost Swalwell his spot on the House Intelligence Committee, however the Mail notes that no further action was taken after a two-year standards probe. 

Read the rest of the report here…