Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell of California reportedly wants to use his congressional campaign donations to pay babysitters to his three children while they’re abroad for jobs funded by those who pay for government-sponsored business trips.
As first reported by Free Beacon, an attorney for Swalwell’s campaign wrote a letter to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), asking the organization to expand the rule to allow candidates to use campaign funds for nannies. To be used for “overnight childcare” while traveling Abroad for business.
A lawyer for the congressman’s campaign said his status as a “leading member of Congress” and an “active fundraiser” earned him “numerous invitations” to various events, “including invitations from foreign governments.” trip.
However, Swolwell regularly travels to Washington DC while Congress is in session.
According to the report, the congressman is already using “more campaign money for babysitters than any other member of Congress,” spending $15,983 on childcare in the first quarter of this year and $72,488 since 2019.
His attorney, however, asked the FEC to allow candidates to use campaign funds for overnight babysitting, campaign events, fundraising, and “travel at the request of foreign governments.”
If the FEC expands its rule to allow candidates to spend their campaign money on “nightly childcare,” that would be an “advantage” that won’t apply to more working Americans who have to pay for out-of-pocket childcare.
Free Beacon details Swalwell’s past dilemmas with traveling abroad and interacting with strangers:
Swalwell’s wife, who runs the hotel, has traveled with him on two recent trips abroad, including one that saw Swalwell riding a bare-chested camel in the Qatar desert. The US-Qatar Business Council paid $19,400 for the Swalwells’ flights, accommodation and meals. In February 2020, Swalwells embarked on a full-paying business trip to Germany with a stay in a hotel for $611 per night.
Foreigners have long been attracted to Swalwell. A female Chinese spy named Fang Fang maintained a relationship with the legislator for many years before being elected to Congress. Swalwell fled the United States in 2015 after being warned about his activities by the FBI.
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Swalwell is under investigation for excessive campaign spending, and a government watchdog group says the Democrat is using his campaign treasury as a “private piggy bank.” According to Fox News, Swalwell spent more than $20,000 on luxury car services and hotel accommodations and more than $7,000 on luxury restaurants in Washington DC last year. He also paid a family member more than $17,000 for childcare. Swalwell reportedly spent money on alcohol, hotels, limousine services and restaurants as part of his campaign.
After the rule change in 2018, anyone running for Congress was allowed to use campaign money for childcare during campaigning or fundraising events. The change comes after groups like the Vote Mama Foundation said they would allow more women to apply for the position.
Swalwell once told the Vote Mom Foundation, the group that spearheaded the rule change initiative, that she once needed to “reconsider” whether she should stay in Congress because childcare costs were causing financial losses. ”
“In addition to official duties, there is a mandate to campaign for House of Representatives candidates, and many do not. It hurts financially,” Swalwell said, noting that his wife had recently received a promotion.
The congressman’s campaign did not respond to Free Beacon’s request for comment.
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write him [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.
Source: Breitbart
