Rep. Eric Swalwell is under renewed scrutiny amid allegations that he and his former chief of staff leveraged his congressional office to promote a private artificial intelligence venture that could personally enrich them.
As reported by Gateway Pundit, the California Democrat and his longtime aide Yardena Wolf, who left her role as congressional chief of staff in late 2025 and now manages his campaign for governor, are accused of aggressively marketing an AI fundraising startup, Findraiser, to fellow House Democrats and political operatives.
According to a detailed account from NOTUS, the pair repeatedly contacted Democratic offices throughout last year to push the platform, which Swalwell co-founded in 2024, raising serious questions about whether they blurred the line between public service and private profit.
Findraiser is promoted as a cutting-edge tool that uses artificial intelligence to comb donor databases and optimize political fundraising, a pitch that conveniently aligns with the permanent campaign culture in Washington. Yet the manner in which it has reportedly been sold inside the Democratic caucus has alarmed observers who see a member of Congress turning his political network into a captive customer base.
One unnamed Democratic operative currently working with multiple congressional campaigns told NOTUS, He is relentless in pushing [Findraiser] and added bluntly, Hes peddling the sh-t out of that thing. The New York Post further reported that Swalwell and Wolf bombarded colleagues with texts, emails, and in-person appeals, describing Findraiser as a great new way to fundraise that was going to make everyones life easier, according to sources who spoke to the paper.
Wolf reportedly went so far as to arrange product demonstrations for congressional offices and campaign teams, blurring the distinction between official relationships and private sales calls. Multiple sources characterized the effort as unsettling and unprofessional, with one California political strategist dismissing Swalwell as a running joke and saying the company has been a punchline among consultants and staffers for more than a year.
Another source told the Post, They were really hitting up everyone. I bet every California member probably got outreach. One operative went further, alleging that the sales push appeared intertwined with legislative access, claiming, The only way you get Swalwell to sign on to your bills is if you take this weird call from his chief of staff.
Such conduct, if substantiated, would cut directly against House ethics rules, which bar lawmakers from using their official positionor even creating the appearance of doing sofor private financial gain. The House Ethics Committee has repeatedly warned members and staff against promoting products in which they hold a financial stake, precisely to prevent the kind of influence-peddling critics now associate with Swalwells operation.
Public filings show Swalwell has disclosed an ownership interest in Findraiser valued between $200,000 and $500,000, a substantial investment for a sitting member of Congress. Despite that stake, the company has so far generated only about $60,000 in revenue from just over a dozen Democratic campaigns, many of them reportedly tied to Swalwells own political network, raising questions about whether his colleagues felt pressured to sign on.
Micah Beasley, spokesperson for Swalwells gubernatorial campaign, declined to address specific inquiries about Findraisers operations or Wolfs compensation. Instead, he framed Swalwells activities in purely partisan terms, telling NOTUS, Congressman Swalwell is working to help Democrats win up and down the ticket. Whether thats through utilizing 21st Century technology or talking to voters directly about the issues that matter most he will continue to use every tool he can to fight Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies.
NOTUS reported that Beasley claimed Swalwell and Wolf consulted the House Ethics Committee about Findraiser and insisted the congressman receives no income from the company, though the campaign provided no information about Wolfs financial arrangement. House rules, however, are explicit that lawmakers and staff may not use their political influence, the influence of [their] position to make pecuniary gains, and the Ethics Committee cautions members to avoid even situations where an inference might be drawn suggesting improper conduct.
The committee has also advised members against using their public stature to promote or endorse commercial products, warning that Members of the House of Representatives are widely recognizable public servants. Even when they make no explicit mention of their official position, when Members actively engage in commercial sales or endorsements, they may create the perception that they are making use of their official position for commercial gain, as House Ethics Committee leaders wrote in a formal advisory.
For a lawmaker already dogged by past controversies and partisan grandstanding, the Findraiser episode underscores why many conservatives argue for stricter enforcement of ethics rules and a clearer separation between public office and private enterpriseespecially when the same Democrats who rail against corporate influence appear comfortable monetizing their own political power.
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