Eric Swalwell’s campaign records show $42,000 spent on childcare AFTER the election

[mystery-ak]

Eric Swalwell’s campaign records show $42,000 spent on childcare AFTER the election
April 24, 2025 | Frieda Powers

U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell was bashed online after a report claimed his campaign spent tens of thousands of dollars on childcare in the months following the election.

The California Democrat raised concerns about potential ethics violations, as the Washington Free Beacon noted the use of the funds in the post-election months following November’s election.

“According to campaign finance records, the Swalwell campaign spent $42,321 on ‘childcare’ from Nov. 8, three days after the election, to March 31. The payments, which are roughly equal to the median American annual income, went to two of the Swalwell family’s longtime babysitters, and Bambini Play & Learning Center, a Washington, D.C.-area Spanish language immersion preschool where tuition is around $3,000 per month,” the outlet reported.

The Washington Free Beacon noted that although the Federal Election Commission allows campaign funds to be used by candidates to cover childcare costs, this is “only for expenses incurred in connection with their campaigns.”

According to the Beacon:

    Swalwell’s childcare expenditures work out to roughly $2,800 spent per month on each of the Democrat’s three children. It also works out to nearly $300 spent per day.

    Swalwell makes nearly $180,000 from his congressional salary. He also was paid $31,815 for “consulting services” by Smersh LLC., a media production company founded by several former CIA officers. Swalwell’s wife reported between $100,000 and $1 million from her business, according to Swalwell’s most recent financial disclosure.

more
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/04/24/eric-swalwells-campaign-records-show-42000-spent-on-childcare-after-the-election-1538731/

[Hoodat]

Institutionalized corruption.

[DefiantMassRINO]

A politician using untaxed campaign fund dollars to pay personal expenses?  What's the surprise there?

Politicians use campaign funds as personal slush funds on a regular basis.  They regulate and police themselves.  Who's going to bring criminal charges against Federal office holders?  Nobody.  At best they'll pay a civil penalty with someone else's money.  Big whoop.

[Smokin Joe]

I thought the name was familiar...

According to Google's AI:

In Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, SMERSH (Smyert Shpionam, or "Death to Spies") was a fictional Soviet counterintelligence organization that served as a primary antagonist for James Bond. The real SMERSH, a Soviet military counterintelligence agency, existed in the early 1940s and 1950s. Fleming's SMERSH, however, was more of a fictionalized and expanded version of the real organization, often depicted as a more powerful and widespread subversive force

[mountaineer]

He also was paid $31,815 for “consulting services” by Smersh LLC., a media production company founded by several former CIA officers.

I tried to search for this company online, and the search engine led me not to a company named Smersh, but  to:

Spycraft Entertainment is a global production company run by former senior intelligence officers from the US and UK and experienced Hollywood producers. 

I don't know whether that's the same company or not, but was intrigued by this tidbit about one of the company's founders:

DAVID HARVILICZ, Co-Founder:  ... Dave has served as Assistant Secretary in the office of cybersecurity at the U.S. Department of Energy where he oversaw national labs cyber R&D and cybersecurity for the U.S. energy grid.  ...  At DOE, Dave held a Q security clearance and currently maintains a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information security clearance.

Currently? Why does this guy still have a security clearance?

Curiously, I cannot find a website or any information about "Smersh LLC" nor anything about what consulting services Swalwell provided. Very strange.