Eric Swalwell Videos Analyzed by Forensic Report: Read in Full
Videos appearing to show Eric Swalwell kissing a woman in a hotel bed were verified as authentic and do feature the now-resigned California Democratic representative, according to a forensic report of the footage obtained by Newsweek.
Commissioned and prepared in early January, a digital forensics expert employed several methods to determine that the video was an authentic recording-not AI-generated or -manipulated-and said that his “biometric analysis” was “consistent with the conclusion that the appearance of the adult male in the videos matches Representative Eric Swalwell.”
Newsweek has contacted the author of the report for further information. Newsweek has also contacted Swalwell's attorney via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor days after reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailed allegations from multiple women against him, ranging from sexual harassment to rape. Swalwell has denied those allegations against him, with his legal representative calling them “a calculated and transparent political hit job.”
On Tuesday he resigned from Congress amid growing calls to do so as lawmakers from both parties pushed for his expulsion, just hours before a fifth woman came forward with new allegations.
Swalwell, 45, declined to comment on those accusations when reached via phone by Newsweek on Tuesday afternoon.
What To Know
Newsweek has seen the footage, which has circulated on social media in recent days and was cited by one Republican lawmaker as potentially complicating Swalwell's legal challenges as he contests allegations from multiple women.
The two short clips being analyzed in the report show an adult male kissing an unidentified woman inside what appears to be a hotel room, and the pair lying down together on the bed.
The forensic report was prepared in January, months before reports concerning Swalwell's alleged sexual misconduct emerged. It was commissioned by an unidentified individual or organization, the name of which has been redacted from the report shared with Newsweek.
The author, Dr. Hany Farid, is a computer scientist and leading digital forensics expert, and was tasked with assessing whether the videos were AI-generated, digitally altered, authentic, and whether these depicted Swalwell.
His analysis of the metadata reveals that the videos were shot on an Apple device in Las Vegas, Nevada at around 5 a.m. PT on July 13, 2021. The report said that the video resolution was “consistent with a video recorded through the Snapchat application on an iPhone.”
“There are no obvious visual anomalies in either video that would suggest that the videos are AI generated or otherwise manipulated,” the report reads.
Using standard facial recognition software, the man in the footage was compared with several images of Swalwell taken around the same period. The report stresses that the video images are not ideal for biometric analysis given the angle and “relatively low resolution,” adding that the research did not compare the subject against other possible identities.
However, it goes on to say that “a facial biometric analysis is consistent with the conclusion that the adult male in the videos is Representative Eric Swalwell.”
What Happens Next
One of the videos referenced in the report shows the back of another man's head. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego, a friend of Swalwell's who served as campaign chair for his 2020 presidential bid, has denied that he is the individual who features in the video.
“Right-wing political operatives are pushing this narrative that somehow I was in that room with Eric Swalwell, and that is an absolute lie,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has opened an investigation into the allegations against Swalwell, and the House Ethics Committee on Monday said it would be conducting its own investigation into “allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including toward an employee working under his supervision.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating the new allegations, a spokesperson said in a statement shared with Newsweek, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office says prosecutors have been assigned to review the case, according to CBS News and The Hill.
On Tuesday, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom set the date for the special election to replace Swalwell as August 18, 2026.
Eric Swalwell Video Forensic Report: Read in Full
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 6:01 AM.