Rep. Eric Swalwell (D., Cal.) will not be outdone again. Recently, Swalwell was outvoted in Congress by a colleague who had died months earlier. Now, he is ensuring that, when it comes to violating the Constitution, no one is even close. This week, Swalwell pledged that, if elected California governor, he will arrest ICE officers and take away their driver’s licences.
On MS NOW’s “All In,” Swalwell was asked by host Jason Johnson: “What would you do if you are able to be elected as governor of California? … What would you bring to the table as a governor of California?”
Swalwell responded:
“Well, you have immense powers as governor of California and your responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in the state. So if the president is going to send ICE agents to chase immigrants through the fields where they work, what I’m going to do is make sure that they take off their masks and show their faces, that they show their identification. And if they commit crimes that they’re going to be charged with crimes, if it’s falsely imprisoning people, if it’s kidnapping, if it’s assault battery, they’re going to be held accountable. I also think if the governor has the ability to issue driver’s licenses to people in California, if you’re going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, you’re not going to be eligible to drive a vehicle in California. There’s a lot you can do, but most importantly, you have to go on offense. Otherwise, the most vulnerable in our community will always be on defense.”
Democrats appear to be morphing into predecessors like Gov. George Wallace (D., Ala.), pledging to defy federal authority and bar federal agents from their states. Wallace also reportedly threatened to arrest federal officers (and then later backed down when he was threatened with court action).
In an “age of rage,” the most irate and irrational reigns supreme.
From demanding that any Democratic nominee pledge to demolish the new Trump ballroom to opposing parental rights in schools, Swalwell has struggled to find traction with far-left California voters.
However, he is now promising to violate the Constitution. That did not take long. We do not even have a clear idea of who will be the frontrunners in the election. It is like a game of chicken where Swalwell immediately drives off the cliff before anyone gets into their cars.
Ironically, it is precisely what he has accused Donald Trump of doing: disregarding the Constitution when it suits his political agenda.
In case it matters to anyone left in California, he cannot do this. Seizing federal agents sort of went out of constitutional style after the Civil War. The “immense powers as governor of California” do not include dictating what federal officers can wear on their faces or bodies.
The first tiny barrier to Swalwell’s antebellum policies is the Supremacy Clause, which prevents states from “interfering with or controlling the operations of the Federal Government.” United States v. Washington (2022). Since McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819, the Supreme Court has consistently struck down state laws that impede federal enforcement.
Moreover, immunity under the Supremacy Clause (Article VI, Clause 2) bars criminally charging officials who are properly carrying out their lawful federal duties. For example, in 1890, the Supreme Court ruled In re Neagle that a U.S. Marshal had immunity when a state tried to charge him with murder after he shot and killed an individual attacking a justice.
While the Supreme Court has also stressed that federal immunity does not afford federal employees carte blanche to violate any and all state laws, it has made clear that such state limits must be incidental and nonintrusive. In Johnson v. Maryland (1920), Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes explained:
“It very well may be that, when the United States has not spoken, the subjection to local law would extend to general rules that might affect incidentally the mode of carrying out the employment — as, for instance, a statute or ordinance regulating the mode of turning at the corners of streets. Commonwealth v. Closson, 229 Mass. 329. This might stand on much the same footing as liability under the common law of a state to a person injured by the driver’s negligence. But even the most unquestionable and most universally applicable of state laws, such as those concerning murder, will not be allowed to control the conduct of a marshal of the United States acting under and in pursuance of the laws of the United States. Ex parte Neagle, 135 U. S. 1.”
None of this really matters to Swalwell. He is moving from democrat to demagogue in pledging unconstitutional acts to be sure that no one is farther to the left in the California race. It is the same “politics of contempt” that he has displayed as a member of Congress. Swalwell has always distinguished himself by doing things that few others could stomach, such as mocking a female senator over the death threats that she was receiving from irate liberals.
He also may be right about California voters. While others are struggling to come up with ideas for a state that is facing a crushing debt crisis and top taxpayers fleeing the state, Swalwell is promising chest-pounding theatrics…more jester than governor. He will entertain and distract with measures that will be struck down in courts.
It is the modern equivalent of the Roman games, promising combat with federal officers to thrill the crowd. From California and New York, there is an insatiable appetite for lawfare and disruption. Swalwell will promise chaos and confrontation … and many California voters will love him for it.
1st, Swalwell doesn’t have that authority to override Federal laws and Federal agents. 2nd, This is VERY rich indeed coming from someone who knowingly had relationships with foreign spies.
Just one time I would like to see a reporter ask one of these Democrats demanding that ICE be barred from wearing masks if protesters and rioters like ANTIFA should be allowed to wear masks. Just one time please.
Also, what if the ICE agents wearing masks in CA said that they were just trying to protect their charges from getting covid and so they are masked up as per what was CA law at one time. SNARK!
Thank you Mr. Turley, like all the other ‘lefties’ Swalwell continues to get press coverage. The liberal press isn’t covering anything good the Trump administration has brought to the USA… nor are they covering all the bad the liberal states and politicians are doing.
Happy New Year, while the beat goes on.
@Anonymous
Ah, yes: happy New Year to all!
Trump has not done anything good, from a non-MAGA perspective.
“Trump has not done anything good, from a non-MAGA perspective.”
From Marxist Democrats’ perspective, Trump not being Biden and instead reversing the Obama/Biden invasion of millions of criminal Illegal Alien Guest Democrat Voters to be parasites on normal taxpaying Americans of all parties is a very, very terrible thing.
If Marxist Democrats weren’t welfare kings and queens and actually paid taxes instead of living off taxpayers, they’d appreciate that.
The good professor mentions Swalwell’s threat to take driver’s licenses away from ICE officials.
Perhaps Mr. Swalwell should be a little more concerned about California’s DMV issuing 17,000 nondomiciled CDLs (commercial driver’s licenses) to immigrants with questionable or unverified status. “California decided to revoke the licenses after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pressured the state to make sure immigrants who are in the country illegally aren’t granted the licenses.”
Then, “The Sikh Coalition, a national group defending the civil rights of Sikhs, and the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the California drivers. They said immigrant truck drivers were being unfairly targeted.” So California put the revocation of their licenses on hold, at least until March 2026. (Nationally, about 20% of semi/truck driving cargo carrying drivers are immigrants.)
“Trucking trade groups have praised the effort to get unqualified drivers who shouldn’t have licenses or can’t speak English off the road. They also applauded the Transportation Department’s moves to go after questionable commercial driver’s license schools.”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-12-30/california-delays-revoking-17-000-commercial-drivers-licenses-after-immigrants-sue
California handles around 40% of all shipping containerized cargo coming into the U.S. https://business.ca.gov/resources/transport-logistics/
Release the Swalwell/Fang Fang files
If Swalwell runs for Governor of California rather than for a seat in the House, he will no longer be on the Congressional payroll. That would be something to celebrate 🙌
However, as he has been in Congress since 2013, he will get a Congressional Pension until he dies, unfortunately. He is one reason the Founding Fathers did NOT want Career Politicians!
Let’s hope his pension is short lived.
Where is trumps Peace Prize? He said he was going to end all the endless wars. He said he was going to concentrate on the United States and not bomb other contries. Oh wait, he lied.
He has bombed
Iraq
Iran
Syria
Venezuala
Nigeria
Somalia
Yemen
More importantly, where is Congress? IMHO, droping bombs on a country is an act of war. According to the copy of the Constitution I have, only Congress has the authority to declare war. Cowards.
You do realize as an anon you have no IMHO.
When you can’t refute the column change the subject?
He said he was going to concentrate on the United States and not bomb other contries. Oh wait, he lied.
Oh wait! You know you’re reading a Lyin’ Like A Biden communist Democrat when they can’t copy and post where Trump said “I will not bomb other countries”. These communist Democrat Biden Democrats can’t do that, because Trump never promised to bomb any foreign country that was attacking Americans or a threat to Americans.
These lying cowards claim they have discovered the Constitution exists and they are now faithfully (and correctly!) reading it – but only after they can no longer continue voting for Obama and Biden who both repeatedly bombed foreign countries as well as killing Americans in those countries with drones.
Without first getting approval from Congress and/or having Congress declare war.
Communist Democrat liars.
“He said he was going to end all the endless wars.”
Correct, he did NOT say he would do so without the use of force.
“He said he was going to concentrate on the United States”
Correct – growth for 2025 was up to 3%, inflation was lowered but not enough., Growth for 2026 is projected to be 4-4.5%
Investment is moving to the US. Public jobs are declining -while prive jobs are increasiong.
The border has been secured.
Illegal immigrants are being deported – especially criminals.
The US is interdicting drugs and thwarting drug cartels and the governments supporting them.
“not bomb other countries.”‘
No such promise
There is a huge difference between “I will not get the US into stupid endless wars”
And “I will not use military force for any reason”
Most specifically Trump romised
“Prevent world war three, restore peace in europe and in the middle east, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country — all made in america
Strengthen and modernize our military, making it, without question, the strongest and most powerful in the world”
” Oh wait, he lied.”
No that would be you.
“More importantly, where is Congress?”
Congress can act or not as they please.
Not acting is the same as approving.
” IMHO, droping bombs on a country is an act of war.”
It is. It is also a power of presidents.
“only Congress has the authority to declare war.”
Correct, declaring war and using military force are not the same thing.
Even Washington used Military force without Congress declaring war.
“Declare” does not mean “execute”..
Tell that to Barack Obama, chump.
I just arrived in Times Square for the festivities. The NYPD searched me and found the “Truck Drivers Friend” . When you gotta go… It’s a life saver.
Happy New Year. Checkout the Peruvian shaman’s 2026 predictions.
Professor Turley writes, “Swalwell will promise chaos and confrontation … and many California voters will love him for it.”
True, but to be more precise, most LA and San Francisco voters will love him for it.
The globalist-left metros like LA no longer want to be part of this country. They want to rule us; they want to own us, but they don’t identify with us at all anymore. They are the establishment version of Antifa: a loosely connected set of major metros, driven by a common, incoherent ideology and completely disloyal to their surrounding communities. The same can be said of London and Paris.
What’s happening on the West Coast is not a temporary family spat. It’s a dangerous, international trend, and the primary beneficiary will be Beijing because of its trading position. The globalists on the West Coast are loyal only to Beijing’s cheap labor.
These same globalists are fools if they think China will always smile on California. If China ever replaces America as the Pacific hegemon, the last thing China will want is more rich Californians. Beijing will not be generous with a divided and broken America. The boot will come down and stay down.
Swalwell and Fang-Fang are just the tip of the spear.
I could read this guy all day. Where does he come up with such nonsense?
Some folks here try so hard to be understood as intellectuals. They all fail.
I’m sure your intellectual measuring stick is similar to your wit, gene pool and dick, quite short. I say good day.
@Diogenes
So spot on. I don’t think it’s a leap to say they envision a permanent caste society along those lines. It is totalitarian aristocracy, period. They do not want laws and do not believe laws should apply to them, and they see no difference between uneducated migrants and natural born Americans whom they don’t see at French Laundry when they dine out. We’ve seen it in microcosm all along, it has begun to define entire populations.
Diogenes,
An interesting premise. Just after I read your comment, I read this, The Lifespan Of A Country https://internationalman.com/articles/the-lifespan-of-a-country/
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the Hispanic/Latino population in California is a whopping 40%,. Not all of them are voters, but Hispanics/Latinos represent more than half of younger Californians (<24 year.old). https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-population/
It's the oldest tactic in the book for political candidates: placate and cater to an identifiable minority (but growing) population. Unfortunately, I suspect not very many Hispanics/Latinos are reading the good professor's blog this morning.
P.S. Just want to mention that currently pending in Congress is Senate Bill S.1952, the Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act, "To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a criminal prohibition on the public release of the name of a Federal law enforcement officer with the intent to obstruct a criminal investigation or immigration enforcement operation." (it's been held up to work on some language deemed to potentially conflict with First Amendment rights.)
Doxxing LEOs is a 1A free speech/press right. Even more so since it is publishing truthful information.
Wrong.
Doxxing is not a 1stA right as it puts LEOs and their families in danger of radical, lunatic leftists (but I repeat myself) assaulting or even murder in defense of criminal illegals.
Perhaps you can justify broadcasting the names and home addresses of law enforcement officers, their children, where their children go to school, etc? Along with an explanation as to why those who so diligently want Americans to know that information don’t at the same time as a show of good faith THEIR home addresses, where any children they have go to school, etc?
You just LOVE law enforcement when they’re hounding your political enemies for political purposes while Biden is in office – then when he’s gone, you’re back to wanting them murdered when they’re tracking down and deporting your favored criminal identity politics classes. This time: violent Illegal Aliens like those from MS-13.
Albeit the same can be said for both Parties, the Democratic Voters seem to hold a bigger penchant for the “Stockholm syndrome” in the admiration of their Leaders.
Their attraction to the inciting and activist ruminations of the Leaders holds them in a spell (hypnosis) that is fortified by Left’s Media such as MSNBC (et.al. Left Media).
Simultaneously, this generates an awful distaste in Republican voters, to whit stitching-off the hypnotic rhetorical drumming of the Left’s mantra is the normal response (i.e.: Change the TV Channel and shut-out the brainwashing).
Perhaps they will call this ‘Swalwell Syndrome’ some day.
Note: In California, Charles Manson had his Followers too.
Ref.: Stockholm syndrome
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome
Johnathon’s cite to the Supremacy Clause, Art. VI, Clause 2 juxtaposed with the You Tube Gladiator clip struck a nerve. Swalwell wants to run a Circus Maximus where the final score, folks, is Lions 6, Christians 0. What makes that dream possible? I would submit that it is a near invisible political party of the uninformed voter. That’s the ticket the Swalwells of the world run on. What to do about that? My suggestion is vote in school boards that understand the build of the Constitution, and pair educators with grade school students to the outcome that knowledge of Article VI, Clause 2 is as natural as breathing.
The Supremacy Clause is not a legal immunity for federal agents to violate state criminal law that does not conflict with federal law.
The Supremacy Clause is not a legal immunity for federal agents to violate state criminal law that does not conflict with federal law.
Is that you Eric “I got taken by a ChiCom spy named Bang Bang… errr… Fang Fang” Swalwell?
You sure you can convince us that you’re actually a criminal law expert on what is and what isn’t violations of law? Versus desperate deflection by insinuation?
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s $1.2 million DC home results in DOJ mortgage fraud criminal referral
https://nypost.com/2025/11/13/us-news/eric-swalwells-1-2-million-dc-home-target-of-doj-mortgage-fraud-criminal-referral/
These insane claims and threats are the perfect election ad ever made for people that like Freedom and despise Marxism/Communism…………..As I said before when Swalwell threatened to arrest firearm owners, bring it on, it will not end well!!!
Swillwell, yes Swillwell, reminds me of a bully in the third grade who got knocked down and ran home crying. The tough guy image is laughable.
Newsom, Jr.
Professor Turley makes good coin writing about the malevolence, malfeasance and criminality of Democrats, elected and non elected. All while still being one of those same Democrats who votes Democrat. Now how do you square that?
There are millions of us who were life long Democrats before they went bat crap crazy five years ago. We are all Independents now. No fault of Professor Turley. or me.
If you can find any time, anywhere, where Professor Turley made any mention of renouncing the Democrat party and now identifies as one of your fellow Independents, you should do him a valuable service and post some sort of reference to that here. No fault on me if you can’t provide any evidence that professor Turley is an Independent as you claim he is.
And if you really believe your DNC only went bat crap crazy just with the onset of the Biden Administration reign of error and terror, you were amazingly tolerant of Obama/Biden Democrat police state fascism, Woke, DEI, and racist identity politics for a suspiciously long time.
Truley is a pure MAGA at this point. He most defiantly does not vote D.
Wrong.
The good professor is just pointing out how the radical far leftists have taken over the Democrat party. The party once of JFK no longer exists. That is why so many traditional and moderate Democrats are leaving the party. You know it is bad, when even the NYT sounded the alarm.
You are just upset the good professor is pointing out what we all know and see.
Surely there must be a photo of Swalwell with Epstein?
Epstein wouldn’t have wanted people to know he hung around Swalwell….
Really, it’s madness. I do not want a one party system, but for the foreseeable future, these fools cannot be put anywhere near majority power. As if MN wasn’t bad enough, NYC is about to become the ultimate object lesson. Vote against the dems in the midterms like your life depends on it, because it might.
James,
The upside is we are now seeing, exposing the fraud taking place in MN and as more independent journalists cover other Democrat ran cities the more fraud is being exposed. It is not just a one off, only in MN but rampant fraud taking place across the country. As for NYC, sit back and wait and see. If Mamdani does drive NYC into the ground, let us see how they try to spin it. Should also serve as a warning to everyone else, the policies of the DSA are the ones of failure.
From a guy who raises pigs for a living. can’t make this stuff up folks.
Where do you think the food that keeps you spewing nonsense comes from? Politicians? Antifa?
Free-range homestead pigs are incredibly delicious. Eggs from free-roaming chickens are the best. Homestead beef, grass-fed and grain-finished, is tasty too.
I have no regrets leaving a fruit co. job, bay area home, 1 acre private ocean cottage, and Tahoe ski chalet for a quiet life in a red state. I would’ve stayed in CA if people like Swalwell weren’t running the it. Treeline at 175 yds, road at 250. Ammo up!
OldFish,
Well said. Every day, every comment he makes, he owes it to me and farmers like me. They like to look down upon us, yet they depend on us for the food on their plates, in their refrigerators and freezers.
From a guy who raises pigs for a living. can’t make this stuff up folks.
Folks… this unemployed commie Biden Birthing Boy making this stuff up has a bad load of water contaminated gasoline on board this morning!
Gaslighting
Gaslighting is the intended psychological manipulation by a low-IQ perpetrator of those they hope to victimize through intentionally misleading that person or group. This involves the perpetrator lying, denying events, and other methods used in the hope their intended victims doubt their perceptions of reality, memories, and feel overly emotional or irrational.
The main five methods of gaslighting that may be used alone or in conjunction with others are: trivializing, lying, blame shifting, countering and withholding.
@Upstate
Oh, absolutely. 👍🏼
You watch the “mainstream media” all day and see nothing about the MN fraud. Therefor, it doesn’t exist.
Upstate. We just learned in WA state. You think MN has a issue with welfare fraud. Our governor say hold my beer.
500+ days care centers with no address.
Nuts
DustOff,
Yep. And old Tampon Timmy Walz wants to claim that investigating fraud is “white supremacy!”
It doesn’t matter that whatever he promises will never be implemented. The mentally challenged voters of today, hear the rhetoric and cheer for someone who thinks the way they do. For being so well “educated”, Dem voters sure are ignorant.
And I do believe that the first 2×4 that will land between their eyes with a massive dose of reality will be NYC.
whimsicalmama,
Unfortunately, as we have seen time and time again, when their policies fail, they just ignore reality, pretend it never happened and go on to the next failure du jour.
It may prove difficult to ignore the angry peasants when there are empty government grocery stores, bans on anything Christian/Jewish/dogs in the streets, no free buses and no free food/apartments/stuff in general; all that was promised to get elected. I do hope for riots that make Watts look like a Sunday picnic. “Bring in the scoops!” sort of situation.
Big talk for a crippled fat karen.
I didn’t realize that you were an obese prog tool, so sorry to hear that.
And don’t claim that I’m fat lard-assedRosie ODonnell commenting here Anonymously! I’m my own ambulatory commie Democrat fat pig of a Karen.
Didn’t that already happen fifty years ago when Pres. Ford told NYC “Drop Dead” after it bankrupted itself? (With the exception of 8+ years of Mayor Giuliani before he lost his mind?)
Swalwell thinks he is fighting the good fight against . . . something. Notice how he fails to mention that ICE is carrying out their federal duties, as authorized by Congress to arrest and deport illegal immigrants?
Democrats, the party of lawlessness.
“In an “age of rage,” the most irate and irrational reigns supreme.”
That would be the Democrat party. Good one professor!!
Anyone notice how in much of a tizzy Democrats are as all the fraud is getting exposed in Minnesota? How independent journalists are uncovering what should be the story of the year while MSM is mostly silent, or attempting to downplay, or spin the story away?
How marvelous!
Tizzy? Really, are you a 15 year old.
Anon 10:13 – Projection? Really, do you always miss the point?
Missed the point? You did, you responded to me.
The word applies as the Democrats level of failure gets exposed. They are the ones running around like a 15 year old, in a tizzy, as they attempt to duck and cover from their failed policies and failed leadership.
Do all 15 y/o’s do the tizzy?
More like 105.
Tizzy? Really, are you a 15 year old.Projection:
Channeling one’s actions onto others typically refers to the psychological concept of projection, where an emotionally disturbed individual unconsciously or deliberately attributes their own thoughts, feelings, and anti-social or criminal behaviors onto someone else. This is an internal defense mechanism which allows that mentally ill person to avoid confronting their own behavior and guilt by seeing it instead as as the thoughts and actions of another person who they despise and hate.
A simpler expression of this opinion, UpstateFarmer might reflect what those of us who grew up in Europe and saw the horror of World War II as inflicted there AFTER its ending. The destruction, poverty, and hunger imposed upon all populations (including the Germans) for at least two generations.
If we are seeing today the message of the leadership and supporters of the “Democratic” party, a revealed correlation to the successful message and growth of power from Kristallnacht (demonstrations, civil disobedience, civil resistance, and online activism promoting racial bigotry and prejudice promotion of the “Floyd” era) and the “Brown Shirts” of vigilante empowered violence (advocating assassination, assault, doxxing of SCOTUS, DOJ, ICE, “MAGA”) should be considered.
Perhaps the simple phrase I often heard there about the fertilizing patterns of hatred, violence, and bigotry will also be reflected when the fire burns and its resulting blood soaks into the ground of this propagandized “Tree of Liberty” —- “We were deceived”.
” He is moving from democrat to demagogue ”
Today, that move is imperceptible.
Was Swalwell performing an official duty when he was pumping (or being pumped by) Fang Fang?
Was that a happy ending?