FBI Deploys Air Marshals to Spy on Former Congressman Eric Swalwell on Flight
The FBI instructed federal air marshals to covertly monitor former congressman Eric Swalwell during a transatlantic flight in an effort to obtain his electronic passwords.
Federal investigators directed air-marshal personnel to discreetly observe former Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell while he traveled from Frankfurt to Washington, D.C., on August 8, seeking to acquire his electronic passcodes. Air marshals, normally deployed to counter terrorism threats, rarely engage in political surveillance, prompting former officials to question the tactic and suggest that FBI agents could have performed the task directly.
A week after the flight, Swalwell was intercepted at San Francisco Airport by agents presenting a search warrant, during which he handed over his mobile phone and laptop before being escorted to a restricted area. The following day, FBI agents executed a search of his Bay Area residence under 18 U.S.C. 242, a civil-rights law typically used against law-enforcement abuse, raising doubts about its relevance to a legislator.
Swalwell faces ongoing investigations into alleged sexual misconduct, but no criminal charges have been filed. His attorney described the air-marshal operation as an “extraordinary escalation” unrelated to any official duties. The FBI declined comment, and the Transportation Security Administration did not respond to inquiries.
Why it matters
It shows unprecedented use of air-marshal resources for political surveillance, raising legal and civil-rights concerns.
In this story
