State officials investigating Swalwell for possible campaign finance violations

California’s Fair Political Practices Commission has opened an investigation into whether Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign used donor money improperly to pay legal bills tied to sexual misconduct allegations, according to reporting first published Saturday.

The Sacramento Bee reported that an FPPC deputy told Swalwell in a May 28 letter that the commission had begun looking into possible violations of California campaign finance law. The report says the inquiry centers on campaign spending on attorney fees.

The new development follows earlier reporting that Swalwell’s campaign spent heavily on legal defense. The San Francisco Chronicle reported in April that the campaign paid $40,000 to lawyer Sara Azari after assault allegations surfaced. The paper later reported in May that Swalwell’s campaign had used more than $300,000 in campaign funds on legal bills.

FPPC public guidance says the agency handles complaints involving the misuse of campaign funds and other campaign finance violations. Its public portal says an open case is pending investigation.

It is not clear from the reporting what specific expenditures are under review, whether the FPPC has assigned a public case number, or whether Swalwell or his representatives will respond directly to the probe.