California Democrat governor candidate Eric Swalwell sues FHFA’s Pulte

Rep. Eric Swalwell, California, filed a 19-page application case Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., allegedly Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte abused his power by making “fictitious” mortgage fraud allegations against himself and other critics of President Donald Trump.

case is asking the court to declare Pulte’s conduct unlawful, order it and FHFA to drop criminal mortgage fraud referrals, and award damages for violations of federal privacy law.

Swalwell, who announced Friday that he is running for governor of California, alleges in his complaint that Pulte improperly accessed and leaked private mortgage records in retaliation for his political speech. Privacy Act 1974 and the First Amendment.

“Director Pulte scanned the private records of political opponents to silence them,” Swalwell said sent He made a statement regarding X.

The suit alleges that Pulte’s referral of the matter to the Department of Justice was “manifestly wrong” and notes that Swalwell testified under oath that his home in Washington, D.C., would be his wife’s primary residence and that he resided in California.

Swalwell’s lawyers stated in the filing that the statements were made just as Swalwell was preparing to launch his bid for governor. The leak of Pulte’s referral letter to the media happened with “extraordinary rapidity,” the lawsuit said, and Swalwell’s case said security risks for his family increased after conservative commentators published details about his home where his wife and children lived.

Pulte’s actions are part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to use federal agencies and courts against political opponents, the filing says. Swalwell, a seven-term congressman and former House impeachment manager during Trump’s second impeachment, has long been one of the president’s most vocal critics.

“Pulte’s brazen practice of obtaining confidential mortgage records from Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac and then using them as the basis for referring individual homeowners to the Department of Justice for prosecution is unprecedented and illegal,” the lawsuit alleges.

In recent months, Pulte has filed criminal complaints similar to Swalwell’s, including to New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

While James’ indictment was dismissed by a federal judge on Monday, Schiff faces an ongoing investigation although he has not yet been charged. Cook was also not charged, but Trump cited criminal referrals as the reason for his attempt to oust him from the Federal Reserve board in August. The firing is currently on hold pending Supreme Court review.

Pulte defended his agency’s criminal complaint against Cook to CNBC in August, saying it was not politically motivated. “We have referrals almost every day. Lisa Cook was one of them,” he said.

In an interview with “Squawk Box” in September, Pulte refused to tell host Andrew Ross Sorkin where the tip came from.

“I’m not going to reveal our sources and methods, where we get tips from, who the whistleblowers are,” Pulte said.

Swalwell’s lawsuit notes that no similar FHFA criminal referrals were made against Trump’s allies. There is evidence that senior Trump officials, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, made mortgage claims similar to claims that Trump tried to fire Cook.

Spokespeople for FHFA and DOJ did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.