Disgraced ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell’s zombie congressional marketing campaign has dwindled to only over $11,000 after he coughed up one other $50,000 to superstar protection lawyer Sara Azari and refunded almost $190,000 to donors following his epic profession collapse following sexual assault allegations.
The main points had been documented this week in new federal marketing campaign filings and are available as California ethics investigators proceed probing greater than $300,000 in funds made to Azari from Swalwell’s failed gubernatorial marketing campaign — elevating contemporary questions concerning the disgraced Democrat’s mounting authorized payments as his political profession continues to unravel.
Swalwell’s federal marketing campaign filings, which checklist him as treasurer, paint the image of a committee quickly operating out of cash.
The committee refunded $189,681 to contributors through the second quarter of the 12 months whereas spending one other $106,427 on working bills, leaving the as soon as well-funded operation with barely sufficient money to cowl one other month of recurring payments.
Swalwell additionally reported $17,893.35 in beforehand unreported or uncashed checks. He admitted in a separate submitting to the Federal Election Fee that no person nonetheless concerned with the marketing campaign is aware of who obtained the cash — or what it was for.
The Put up beforehand reported on Swalwell’s 100-plus booze supply costs on the marketing campaign’s dime.
“Now we have been unable to find out who these checks had been written to, for the way a lot, and for what objective,” the committee wrote in a submitting with the Federal Election Fee, including that the marketing campaign’s former treasurer died in 2023 and took the data with him. The marketing campaign stated the entries had been made merely to reconcile and shut long-abandoned financial institution accounts.
Swalwell’s fee to Azari — who’s defending him in opposition to allegations of rape and sexual assault — may entice extra scrutiny as a result of the California Truthful Political Practices Fee is already investigating whether or not Swalwell’s gubernatorial marketing campaign illegally used donor cash to pay Azari after the scandal erupted.
Neither Swalwell nor Azari responded to requests for remark.
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Swalwell’s gorgeous political collapse started in April after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN printed allegations from a number of girls accusing the previous East Bay congressman of rape, sexual assault and different misconduct. Swalwell has denied the allegations whereas acknowledging what he described as “errors in judgment.”
He suspended his marketing campaign for governor on April 12 earlier than resigning from Congress days later.
Swalwell’s congressional committee continued paying routine bills, together with payments to Apple and Verizon Wi-fi, however a $165 cost to Starlink — utilizing Elon Musk’s SpaceX service to maintain the telephones and web related — had individuals making jokes on social media.
Marketing campaign finance documentarian Rob Pyers quipped that Swalwell — who has not been publicly noticed in months — bought a Starlink subscription “presumably for web/TV entry in no matter distant location he’s holed up in.”
Swalwell might not be totally broke in terms of marketing campaign cash, although.
Marketing campaign finance data confirmed Swalwell’s dormant gubernatorial committee was nonetheless sitting on greater than $2.6 million as of late Might.
