Federal agents seize Eric Swalwell's devices and briefly detain him at San Francisco airport

Federal investigators seized former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's electronic devices and briefly detained him at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, a source familiar with the inquiry said. The former Democrat, who resigned from Congress and withdrew from the California governor's race in April after denying sexual-assault allegations, was released the same day after agents completed a search.

Prosecutors are pursuing a civil-rights case that alleges Swalwell, while acting in an official capacity, may have willfully deprived individuals of their constitutional rights. A search warrant was executed at his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday, and agents sought to confiscate his white iPhone and MacBook Pro, according to court filings.

Separate investigations are ongoing in New York and Los Angeles County. One accuser, Lonna Drewes, has claimed she was drugged and raped by Swalwell in 2018, while a former staffer alleges the congressman sent her nude images and forced sexual activity after she became intoxicated. Swalwell's attorney, Sara Azari, has called the accusations "false, fabricated and deeply offensive" and said her client will pursue all legal remedies.

The allegations, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, led to Swalwell's resignation and exit from the gubernatorial race. Newly declassified documents also show that Swalwell disclosed a past relationship with a volunteer later identified as a suspected Chinese spy, though he has not been charged with any wrongdoing.