Watchdog suggests Democrat Eric Swalwell may have broken federal law with MTG tweet.
Rep. Eric Swalwell Facing Ethics Complaint Over Allegations of Misusing Official Resources
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is currently under scrutiny as a right-leaning watchdog accuses him of potentially abusing official resources for political purposes. The Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust has demanded an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics after Swalwell used his campaign’s Twitter account to share a video of a congressional hearing where he criticized Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and displayed his campaign logo. This action raises concerns as members of Congress are prohibited from using official resources for campaign or political activities.
“The legal violation in this case is obvious and there are no facts that can excuse it,” stated Kendra Arnold, the executive director of the watchdog. “Swalwell used official House resources and proceedings for political purposes. The video was taken inside a government building and is from a House Committee proceeding, both are official resources. The fact that Swalwell put his campaign logo on an official resource shows a complete lack of respect for the law, in addition to him posting it on a campaign social media site.”
This ethics complaint follows a recent warning to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre regarding a potential violation of the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from engaging in certain political activities. Swalwell’s tweet, which the watchdog referenced in its complaint, read, “MAGA GOP doesn’t like when I quote their own.”
“The laws at issue in this case are important because not only do they protect taxpayer-funded resources from abuse, they also protect the integrity of official proceedings,” Arnold emphasized in the complaint. “One issue the House Ethics Manual acknowledges is the public perception that incumbents are simply using their office to run for re-election or to run for a higher office, and the reason for that perception is quite evident in Rep. Swalwell’s actions.”
Rep. Swalwell has faced previous scrutiny from watchdogs and Republican lawmakers, including his removal from the House Intelligence Committee due to his reported relationship with a suspected Chinese spy named Christine Fang. Additionally, he has been the subject of ethics complaints related to campaign spending on childcare, COVID-19 testing, and a musical.
As of now, Swalwell’s office has not responded to requests for comment.
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