Eric Swalwell’s campaign spends $62K on travel as gas prices soar

As more Americans struggle to fill up their cars and put food on their table, one House Democrat’s campaign is spending thousands of dollars on the finer things in life.

Between April 1 and May 18, the campaign of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) dropped more than $62,000 on travel-related expenses, according to Federal Election Commission data — including swanky hotels across the US and in Paris, pricey airline flights and dozens of car rides with Uber and Lyft.

Most notably, the campaign doled out just over $4,700 to the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in early April and $1,752 to the five-star Hotel La Maison Champs-Elysees in the French capital. 

The priciest rooms in both hotels cost more than $1,000 per night, though it was unclear whether the campaign opted for an extra splurge at either venue.

The campaign also spent its money at the four-star Westin Saint Francis hotel in San Francisco, the five-star Santa Monica Proper Hotel, the four-star Lowes Chicago Hotel, the four-star Ace Hotel New Orleans, AC Hotel by Marriot in Washington as well as the five-star JW Marriott Essex House overlooking Central Park — adding up to approximately $5,868. 

Under FEC regulations, candidates are not permitted to use campaign funds for personal matters. 

Swalwell’s campaign also spent thousands of dollars on Lyft and Uber rides and paid $5,983.65 to Sunny’s Executive Sedan — a luxury limousine service based out of New York. 

On flights, the congressman’s campaign doled out more than $22,000 to United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines. United was the favored carrier, taking in more than $13,000. 

While the campaign describes these payments as “TRAVEL EXPENSES,” it is unclear what campaign-related events Swalwell was traveling to at the time. 

 “Every cent was spent for a campaign purpose,” Lisa Tucker with Swalwell’s campaign told The Post. “The Congressman never went to Paris. An aide attended events in Paris as a representative for the campaign.” 

The 41-year-old, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, is best known for his disastrous run for president in 2020, his entanglement with a suspected Chinese spy, and attempting to fundraise off last month’s mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store that killed 10 people.

It is not uncommon for lawmakers and candidates to spend thousands of dollars on travel or flights. Within the same timeframe, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) spent just over $18,050 on flights with American, Delta, Southwest and Alaska Airlines. 

Despite the big figures, Swalwell is nowhere near the highest-spending House candidate this cycle.

The Top 10 is made up of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), and Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) as well as Democratic candidates Nina Turner and Marcus Flowers — all of whom have spent between $6 million and $17 million. 

According to the FEC data, Swalwell has only spent $2,375,738.47 since the beginning of last year.

The California Democrat’s spending comes as Americans across the country pinch their pennies just to cover soaring gas prices. As of Tuesday, the average gas price in the nation sat at $4.92, according to AAA.