FLASHBACK: Swalwell was dubbed Hunter Biden’s ‘biggest cheerleader’

As now-former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., continues to face a reckoning over multiple sexual assault allegations and past scandals, his praise of Hunter Biden and Hunter’s wealthy Hollywood “sugar brother” lawyer, who donated tens of thousands of dollars to Swalwell’s failed gubernatorial campaign, has resurfaced.

“Eric Swalwell is literally Hunter Biden’s biggest cheerleader – from reserving the Senate Swamp to defending the Biden Crime Family’s litany of illicit activities,” a longtime GOP strategist told Fox News Digital. “Degenerates of a feather flock together.”

A campaign filing from earlier this year, amid Swalwell’s gubernatorial run in California, revealed that Kevin Morris, who was dubbed Hunter’s “sugar brother” for bankrolling his legal bills and lavish lifestyle, donated $29,900 to Swalwell’s campaign in February. Swalwell, who reportedly helped orchestrate Hunter’s surprise press conference outside the Capitol in December 2023 while he defied the House Oversight Committee’s subpoenas to testify behind closed doors, was one of the loudest critics of the GOP investigations into Hunter during the Biden administration.

Swalwell’s support at the 2023 press conference by reserving the “Senate Swamp,” a popular area near the Capitol that is often used for press conferences, raised questions at the time about whether the California congressman played a role in the then-first son’s decision to deny a congressional subpoena from Republicans seeking to question him about his alleged crimes and other financial dealings.

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“There is absolutely zero evidence Hunter or his father acted corruptly,” Swalwell said at the time. “So I’m not going to sit quietly and let MAGA Republicans do Trump’s bidding in Congress.”

Morris, who previously maxed out donations totaling over $6,000 to Swalwell’s House campaign in early 2023, was seen standing next to Swalwell during the viral December 2023 press conference later that year, which came the same day the then-first son’s decided to deny a congressional subpoena from Republicans seeking to question him about his alleged crimes and other financial dealings. 

Morris and Hunter Biden first met in 2019 at a campaign event for Biden’s then-vice presidential father, and the pair eventually developed a burgeoning relationship at what Morris called one of “the lowest point[s]” in Hunter Biden’s life. Morris ended up forking over so much cash, more than $6.5 million, that Politico reported about concerns he could not keep footing Hunter Biden’s legal bill if the case went to trial, which it ultimately did not. 

A person close to the Hollywood attorney told Politico that the reason Morris decided to help Hunter Biden is that he saw that no one else was going to step up and support him. Morris also reportedly helped pay for luxury housing for Hunter Biden, bought more than a dozen of the former president’s son’s amateur paintings and helped the young Biden pay his overdue tax bill.

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In addition to their Hunter Biden connection, Morris and Swalwell also have ties to China that raised questions among critics. 

In 2024, Morris confirmed to lawmakers that he still held a stake in a Chinese private equity firm that he took over from the president’s son. Morris initially acquired the shares after purchasing Skaneateles LLC, a company that Hunter had previously owned, in the fall of 2021 as pressure mounted for Hunter to divest amid concerns about his stake in the China-based company. 

Swalwell, meanwhile, has long-faced criticism over his ties to China after it was uncovered that he was allegedly the target of a Chinese spy influence operation during his early days as an elected official. The incident led to Swalwell getting booted off the powerful House Intelligence Committee several years later when the allegations became public.

Swalwell has faced major blowback from at least one of his financial backers amid multiple bombshell reports detailing sexual assault allegations against him. Billionaire founder of Diamond Resorts, Stephen Cloobeck, who has donated to Swalwell’s primary and general campaigns, contributing $23,400 from 2017 to 2023, slammed Swalwell.

“Eric who?” he responded when asked if he still was remaining friends with Swalwell. “Is that clear? Don’t bust the trust. You bust the trust, okay, you don’t exist in my life.”

Cloobeck said the incident has made him distrust Democrats, leading him to leave the party.

In addition to campaign donations, Cloobeck also gave the Democratic congressman gifts, including a $39,900 flight to Nice, France, according to congressional disclosures. 

“These accusations are false, fabricated, and deeply offensive — a calculated and transparent political hit job designed to destroy the reputation of a man who has spent twenty years in public service,” Sara Azari, Swalwell’s attorney, wrote on social media Tuesday. “The timing, nature and coordinated rollout of these vile and heinous allegations speak for themselves.”