Eric Swalwell sues Trump administration over alleged privacy violations
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California is suing a Trump administration official for allegedly violating privacy rights in order to seek prosecution of the president’s political enemies.
Swalwell, who is running for the governorship of California, filed a 19-page federal civil lawsuit against Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte.
Swalwell alleged in his lawsuit that the charges against him were filed ‘at a critical juncture in his career.’
The housing official referred Swalwell to the Department of Justice for alleged mortgage and tax fraud.
“Pulte’s brazen practice of obtaining confidential mortgage records from Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac and then using them as a basis for referring individual homeowners to DOJ for prosecution is unprecedented and unlawful,” the lawsuit alleged.
Swalwell also posted a statement on social media.
“Today I have filed a civil lawsuit against FHA director Bill Pulte for violating the Privacy Act and First Amendment,” he wrote.
“Director Pulte has combed through private records of political opponents. To silence them,” Swalwell added. “There’s a reason the First Amendment — the freedom of speech — comes before all others.”
Pulte was instrumental in the charges that were brought up against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Those charges were dismissed by a federal judge on Monday, but the Trump administration vowed to appeal.
Swalwell alleged in his lawsuit that the charges against him were filed “at a critical juncture in his career: the very moment when he had planned to announce his campaign for Governor of California.”
Pulte also helped bring criminal referrals against Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff (Calif.), as well as Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook.
CBS News said the Federal Housing Finance Agency did not respond to a request for a comment.
Swalwell added a quote from novelist George Orwell: “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
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