WASHINGTON, D.C. — New Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings have revealed a series of irregular and unusually categorized payments made by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) — a prominent Trump critic — totaling over $360,000 to a California man with ties to a limousine company and no verifiable security license.
According to the reports, Swalwell’s campaign committee and his political action committee, Remedy PAC, issued more than 75 separate payments between 2021 and September 2025 to Darly Meyer, a North Hollywood resident who operates CYD Global Car Service, a luxury transportation business.
The payments — which ranged from as low as $53 to over $12,000 — were described under a patchwork of different labels: “security services,” “salary,” “car service,” “travel reimbursement,” “event flowers reimbursement,” and even “postage.”
Together, the filings show that more than $120,000 was paid to Meyer in both 2024 and 2025 alone — a pattern that some election law experts describe as deeply inconsistent.
Former FEC Commissioner Calls for Review
Hans von Spakovsky, a former FEC commissioner and senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the inconsistencies are significant enough to warrant a formal audit or enforcement inquiry.
“This is the type of bizarre inconsistency that should catch the attention of the FEC,” von Spakovsky told Fox News. “When you see irregularities like this — different labels, inconsistent descriptions, and overlapping categories — that’s exactly the kind of thing the FEC is supposed to review.”
The issue, von Spakovsky explained, is that campaign committees are required by law to clearly describe the purpose of each expenditure to avoid the appearance of personal use or misappropriation of donor funds.
“If these payments were truly for security, then documentation should exist — invoices, contracts, service receipts,” he added. “If they don’t, that’s when you get into potential violations of campaign finance law.”
Swalwell Responds: “He Protects Me and My Family”
When pressed for comment about the payments, Swalwell offered only a brief statement:
“Darly protects me and my family,” he said.
However, a search of California’s Bureau of Security and Investigative Services revealed no record of a state-issued security license under Meyer’s name — raising further questions about what “protection” services were actually being provided.
Public records list Meyer’s business, CYD Global Car Service, as a luxury transportation provider offering corporate shuttles and chauffeur services across California. Meyer also serves as an administrator for a Facebook community called “CaliHaitians,” which describes itself as a progressive network for Haitian Americans living in the western United States.
Lavish Spending and ‘Slush Fund’ Accusations
The revelations about Meyer’s payments come amid a broader pattern of high-end spending linked to Swalwell’s campaign.
According to FEC data, Swalwell’s committees have spent heavily on luxury travel, entertainment, and accommodations in recent years — including private yacht charters and five-star hotels across the globe.
In October 2023, Swalwell’s campaign reported spending nearly $17,000 with Just Dreaming Yacht Charters, a San Francisco-based company offering “luxurious” cruises for up to 40 guests.
That same year, filings show nearly $1,700 spent at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Hotel, alongside additional charges at 1 Hotel San Francisco, Austin Proper Hotel, and Times Square Edition in New York.
During the final quarter of 2023 alone, Swalwell’s campaign reported nearly $90,000 in travel-related expenses.
Critics have accused the California congressman of using donor money for personal benefit.
“It’s starting to look like Swalwell’s committees are functioning as a personal slush fund,” one conservative watchdog told Conservative Brief. “When voters donate to a campaign, they’re not expecting their money to pay for yachts and overseas hotels.”
Past Controversies and Security Concerns
This isn’t the first time Swalwell’s financial or security judgment has been questioned.
In 2020, U.S. intelligence officials confirmed that a suspected Chinese spy named Christine Fang, also known as “Fang Fang,” had cultivated ties with several American politicians — including Swalwell — through fundraising activities.
House Republicans later used the incident to justify his removal from the House Intelligence Committee in 2023, citing “national security concerns.” Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he fully cooperated with the FBI and was never accused of misconduct.
The new FEC discrepancies are likely to reignite scrutiny of his conduct — especially given the overlap between his security justifications and luxury spending habits.
Experts Warn of Broader Transparency Problem
Von Spakovsky emphasized that the issue isn’t just about Swalwell’s personal spending, but about a broader transparency gap in federal campaign oversight.
“When members of Congress file expenses under multiple, shifting categories — especially for the same person — it undermines the integrity of the reporting system,” he said. “The FEC needs to determine whether these payments were legitimate or whether campaign funds were being diverted.”
Election law attorneys note that the FEC can impose civil penalties, including fines, if expenditures are found to be improperly documented or unrelated to campaign activities.
The Road Ahead
As of now, it remains unclear whether the FEC’s enforcement division will open a formal investigation into Swalwell’s filings. But sources within watchdog groups say the irregular pattern of payments to Darly Meyer — coupled with the lack of supporting security credentials — makes the case “impossible to ignore.”
Meanwhile, Swalwell has continued his role as one of Donald Trump’s fiercest congressional critics, frequently appearing on cable news to denounce the former president’s policies and rhetoric.
For now, however, it’s his own paperwork — not Trump’s — that has Washington asking questions.
James Jenkins is a celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning author whose work has reshaped the way readers think about social justice and human rights in America. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, James grew up in a community that instilled in him both resilience and a strong sense of responsibility toward others. After studying political science and creative writing at Howard University, he worked as a journalist covering civil rights issues before dedicating himself fully to fiction. His novels are known for their sharp, empathetic portraits of marginalized communities and for weaving personal stories with broader political realities. Jenkins’s breakout novel, Shadows of Freedom, won national acclaim for its unflinching look at systemic inequality, while his more recent works explore themes of identity, resilience, and the fight for dignity in the face of oppression. Beyond his novels, James is an active public speaker, lecturing at universities and participating in nonprofit initiatives that support literacy and community empowerment. He believes that storytelling is a way to preserve history and inspire change. When not writing, James enjoys jazz music, mentoring young writers, and traveling with his family to explore cultures and stories around the world.
