Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has sent a referral to the Department of Justice calling for an investigation into possible mortgage fraud by Rep. Eric Swalwell.
A top housing official in President Donald Trump's administration has referred California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell to the Justice Department for a potential federal criminal probe, based on allegations of mortgage and tax fraud related to a Washington, D.C., home, according to a person familiar with the referral...
Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, alleged in a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday that Swalwell may have made false or misleading statements in loan documents.
The matter has also been referred to the agency's acting inspector general, this person said...
The referral, according to the source, alleges several million dollars worth of loans and refinancing based on Swalwell declaring his primary residence as Washington.
That's all the detail we have at the moment because NBC News is the first outlet reporting this and they don't offer a link to the referral letter. Rep. Swalwell issued a statement in response to the referral.
On Targeting Political Opponents - Statement by Representative Swalwell pic.twitter.com/mEAGyBXqF7
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) November 13, 2025
As the most vocal critic of Donald Trump over the last decade and as the only person who still has a surviving lawsuit against him, the only thing I am surprised about is that it took him this long to come after me.
Like James Comey and John Bolton, Adam Schiff and Lisa Cook, Letitia James and the dozens more to come — I refuse to live in fear in what was once the freest country in the world.
Of course, I will not end my lawsuit against him. And I will not stop speaking out against the President and speaking up for Californians.
As Mark Twain said, 'Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.
Mr. President, do better. Be Better.
Swalwell and Trump have been fueding for a long time and this is not the first time Pulte has referred a Trump opponent for an investigation of mortgage fraud.
Pulte previously sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department for two other prominent Democratic critics of Trump, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., as well as Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook — who was nominated by then-President Joe Biden — on allegations of mortgage fraud. All three have denied wrongdoing.
So we'll have to see if this goes anywhere. The case against Letitia James is in the news again today because a judge heard arguments on whether or not Lindsey Halligan was properly appointed as US Attorney. Halligan is currently handling the case against James and the one against former FBI Director James Comey.
A Justice Department lawyer on Thursday defended the legality of Lindsey Halligan's appointment as acting U.S. attorney to a skeptical federal judge who's weighing whether to dismiss cases she brought against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie did not issue a ruling after the hour-plus-long hearing, but said she plans to issue a decision by Thanksgiving on whether to disqualify Halligan from her post...
Halligan presented the cases against Comey and James to grand juries on her own, and was the only person to sign off on their indictments. Lawyers for Comey and James contend that because her appointment was unlawful, she was essentially a private citizen at the time, and the indictments against them should be tossed.
“When the only person presenting to the grand jury lacks government authority, it’s a fundamental error,” Comey attorney Ephraim McDowell told the judge.
Even if this Clinton-appointed judge tosses both cases, James and Comey can still probably face a new indictment. In James' case, the alleged act is still within the statue of limitations.
In any case, all of this should be sorted out before charged (if any) are brought against Rep. Swalwell.
