• Rep. Eric Swalwell sues Bill Pulte for alleged abuse of power related to mortgage records.
• The lawsuit claims violations of privacy and First Amendment rights.
• Pulte has made multiple criminal referrals targeting Trump critics.
• Swalwell's case highlights concerns over political retribution within the Trump administration.
• Investigations into the actions of Pulte and DOJ officials are ongoing.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democratic congressman from California, has filed a lawsuit against Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), alleging that Pulte abused his authority by improperly accessing Swalwell's mortgage records to issue a criminal referral for mortgage fraud allegations. The lawsuit, lodged in the U.S. District Court, argues that Pulte's actions constituted a violation of Swalwell's privacy and First Amendment rights, as the referral was intended to retaliate against Swalwell for his vocal criticism of the Trump administration, according to ABC News and CBS News.

In his complaint, Swalwell alleges that Pulte's actions involved unauthorized use of government databases maintained by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to craft baseless allegations against several prominent Democrats, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Rep. Adam Schiff. The lawsuit states that this practice of criminal referrals based on private mortgage data is "unprecedented and unlawful," asserting that it reflects a pattern of political retribution aimed at opponents of President Trump, as detailed by The Hill and CBS News.

Swalwell's lawsuit explicitly mentions the harm caused by the disclosure of his mortgage records, which occurred at a crucial time as he was announcing his campaign for Governor of California. The complaint underscores the allegations are false, specifically noting Swalwell's affidavit, which asserts that he is a permanent resident of California and did not intend to occupy his Washington, D.C. home as his primary residence. This rebuttal serves to illustrate the lawsuit's claim that Pulte's referral to the DOJ mischaracterized the situation, according to The Hill and ABC News.

The backlash against Pulte's actions does not exist in a vacuum; scrutiny has also fallen on the DOJ's involvement in these investigations, particularly regarding whether Pulte and U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin acted improperly in enlisting individuals outside the DOJ for investigations against political figures. Concerns have been raised about these referrals being politically motivated rather than based on valid legal grounds, leading to an ongoing investigation into their practices, as reported by The Hill and ABC News.