FEC says Swalwell can use campaign funds for babysitting, but not when traveling abroad

Here we go again. An East Bay congressmember is making a trip to New Hampshire. His second in just the past six weeks

Rep. Eric Swalwell went toe-to-toe this month with the Federal Election Commission.

D.C. DISH

14TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

—BABYSITTERS CLUB—The Federal Election Commission rendered a split decision on Rep. Eric Swalwell’s bid to pay for a babysitter with campaign donations. Swalwell, who has three young children, argued that campaign funds could be used to pay babysitting services when he travels abroad. The FEC disagreed on Monday, but said he could do so stateside, if his spouse is not available to watch the kids.

—Conservatives have long criticized Swalwell’s use of campaign funds for high-end dinners and exorbitant travel costs. Trey Trainor III, a FEC commissioner, who is also a Republican, sharply chided Swalwell during a meeting two weeks ago.

—"To be real honest with you, I'm actually going to pass judgment on it," Trainor said. "I think it's abhorrent that Congressman Swalwell would have such a young child and want to leave them in the care of someone else, for a week-long trip overseas and using donor contributions to pay for that. I think it's inappropriate we even had to address this question."

—In recent East Bay political history, the question of whether a candidate should be able to charge its campaign committee for child care was a minor flash point in Nadia Lockyer’s infamous run for Alameda County Supervisor in 2010. Lockyer, who had a young child at the time, spent more than $2,600 on a nanny during the campaign. Technically, the expenditures were not illegal at the time.

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• A’s owner makes large campaign donation

• Labor leader drops bid for local office

• Campaign finance update

• Datebook