Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA) has reportedly spent thousands in campaign cash on alcohol and limousine services, in addition to over $20,000 at the same luxury hotel at which his wife works.
Limo services, luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, and alcohol delivery were all paid for from tens-of-thousands of dollars from the Swalwell campaign over the course of the second quarter, according to Fox News, who reviewed the Democrat’s filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Swalwell’s campaign paid for the Californian’s 26 rides that he took in various limousine and luxury car services costing upwards of $10,000. Additionally, there was also the $26,000 that was spent on luxury hotels. According to the report, over $20,000 in funds from the campaign were spent at the Ritz Carlton and Half Moon Bay, where his wife happens to be the director of sales. Her LinkedIn profile shows that she’s worked at the company since February 2015.
The report noted that Swalwell also spent $566 on “Food & Beverage,” through the delivery service Drizly, which is a “platform that facilitates the delivery of alcohol.” This was done in nine separate orders ranging with a wide range from $5.79 to $124.86.
Swalwell, still in the second quarter, also spent $1,151 on “Refreshments” from Capitol Hill Wine and Spirits, which he did in seven trips. The liquor store is local to the House side of the U.S. Capitol and is roughly a nine-minute walk from his office. The report showed the campaign spent almost $4,400 for “Catering” and “Refreshments” at two California wineries on the same day.
“While the payments to the wineries could have come from a campaign event, it is not clear that the seven charges at the Capitol Hill liquor store and nine Drizly charges were campaign related,” Fox noted.
The Californian’s FEC records showed that the campaign also spent $7,000 at luxury restaurants and steakhouses in the nation’s capital. The report said that he “sat down for 13 in-person meals at Charlie Palmer Steak, O-Ku Sushi, STK Steakhouse at the Downtown New York City location and other high-end eateries.”
Swalwell spent $205 for “Supporter Appreciations” on the website “The Knot.” The website is known for wedding planning and ideas, where couples also post their registries for their wedding.
Recently Business Insiders reported that House Democrats and their spouses, including Swalwell and his wife, went on an all-expenses-paid trip to Qatar, which the U.S.-Qatar Business Council paid for. Swalwell and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) were pictured shirtless and maskless riding a camel in the desert.
The report said a “private business group paid more than $84,000 to host them and three other House members.” During this time, the world was going through the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.