Rep. Swalwell sues Trump official over mortgage fraud allegations: ‘A gross abuse of power’

By Fox News · Fox News

Rep. Eric Swalwell , D-Calif., accused a top housing official of secretly pulling Democrats’ private mortgage records and weaponizing them to trigger federal criminal probes, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. In the suit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. , Swalwell claimed that Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte abused his position to obtain the mortgage records of numerous Democrats, which he used in criminal referrals to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The civil suit argued that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) did not have the authority to obtain, use or leak private data belonging to several prominent Democrats, who are widely viewed as staunch critics of President Donald Trump . "Today I have filed a civil lawsuit against FHA Director Bill Pulte for violating the Privacy Act and First Amendment," Swalwell said in a statement. "Director Pulte has combed through private records of political opponents. To silence them." REPUBLICANS FEUD OVER 'ARCTIC FROST' ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE, BUT CRITICS OFFER NO CLEAR ALTERNATIVE According to the lawsuit, Pulte "abused his position" by scouring government-sponsored databases for the private records of a number of Democrats, including Swalwell, which he then used "to concoct fanciful allegations of mortgage fraud" that he referred to the DOJ for prosecution, the lawsuit stated. The DOJ opened a probe into Swalwell on Nov. 13 over alleged mortgage fraud. The lawsuit stated that Pulte claimed in his referral to the DOJ that Swalwell falsely claimed his D.C. home as his primary residence on a mortgage agreement to help secure more favorable loan terms. But the California Democrat’s suit described the allegations in the referral as a "gross mischaracterization of reality" that represents "a gross abuse of power that violated the law." "The allegations in Pulte’s referral are patently false," the suit argued. The DOJ probe came as Swalwell set his sights on a higher office, announcing last w…