Rep. Eric Swalwell and his former chief of staff are facing accusations that they may have violated House ethics rules by aggressively pitching his personal AI startup to fellow Democrats in Congress in order to enrich themselves.
According to a new report from NOTUS, Swalwell and Yardena Wolf, who served as his congressional chief of staff until late 2025 and now manages his campaign for California governor, repeatedly contacted House Democrats and political operatives last year to promote Findraiser, an AI-powered fundraising tool he co-founded in 2024.
Findraiser markets itself as an AI tool that analyzes donor databases to help campaigns optimize fundraising.
“He is relentless in pushing [Findraiser]” an unnamed Democrat operative “currently working with multiple congressional campaigns” told NOTUS. “He’s peddling the sh-t out of that thing.”
The New York Post reports that the duo texted, emailed, and made in-person pitches where they described the company as “a great new way to fundraise that was going to make everyone’s life easier,” sources told the Post.
Wolf reportedly also tried to set up product demos for colleagues.
Swalwell Misses More Votes Than a Dead Congressman While Lounging at Donor’s $23M Beverly Hills Mansion During Gubernatorial Campaign
Multiple sources described the effort as unsettling and unseemly, with one California political strategist calling Swalwell “a running joke” and noting the company has been a punchline among consultants and staffers for over a year.
Another source told the paper, “They were really hitting up everyone. I bet every California member probably got outreach.”
One operative claimed the pitches were tied to legislative favors, “The only way you get Swalwell to sign on to your bills is if you take this weird call from his chief of staff.”
House ethics rules prohibit members from using their official position, or creating the appearance of doing so, for private financial gain.
The House Ethics Committee has warned lawmakers against promoting products in which they have a financial interest.
Swalwell has disclosed owning a stake in Findraiser valued between $200,000 and $500,000.
So far, the company has generated roughly $60,000 in revenue from just over a dozen Democratic campaigns, many connected to Swalwell’s political network.
Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign, refused to comment on specific questions about Findraiser, but told NOTUS, “Congressman Swalwell is working to help Democrats win up and down the ticket. Whether that’s 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 reports:
Beasley told NOTUS last week that Swalwell and Wolf consulted with the House Ethics Committee about Findraiser and that Swalwell receives no income from the company. Swalwell’s campaign did not provide any information about Wolf’s income.
House rules prohibit lawmakers and their staff from using their “political influence, the influence of [their] position … to make pecuniary gains,” according to the House Ethics Committee rules for outside employment. “In any event, the Standards Committee routinely advises Members and staff to avoid situations in which even an inference might be drawn suggesting improper conduct.”
The House Ethics Committee has also advised lawmakers against using their official position to even promote or endorse any products.
“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,” House Ethics Committee leadership wrote in an advisory opinion.
The post Pathetic Rep. Eric Swalwell Accused of Breaking House Rules by Hitting Up Colleagues for Cash for His AI Startup appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.