SACRAMENTO – During the 2023 Los Angeles writers’ strike, Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell wanted to reach out to his patrons in Hollywood and ask what he could do to help. But he didn’t have an easy way to find screenwriters who supported his many campaigns.
So Swalwell and his congressional boss founded an AI technology company that sifts through and analyzes fundraising campaign data.
The company has since been used by a number of political campaigns, including Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles). Even Swalwell’s current campaign for governor of California has hired an artificial intelligence firm, called Findraiser.
But other details of Swalwell’s private equity business remain unclear, including the company’s investors.
Craig Holman, a government policy expert at the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen, said it is common and legal for candidates to use their businesses to promote their campaigns or the campaigns of others, as long as all business dealings are charged market value.
He said Swalwell can talk about his business in private but cannot do so in relation to his role in Congress, to avoid violating ethics rules that prohibit using a person’s position for financial gain.
Holman called it “strange and politically unwise” that Swalwell’s business would not publicly disclose all of its investors.
Swalwell, who has represented Northern California in Congress since 2013, is among the top Democrats in the race for governor, according to recent polls, but so far none of the candidates has defected.
Findraiser is close to turning a profit, its former chief of staff, current campaign manager and Findraiser CEO Yardena Wolf said in a podcast interview that aired in October.
The company received more than $67,400 in congressional campaigns for the 2025-26 cycle, according to data from the federal government.
Members of Congress are not barred from owning foreign corporations or receiving foreign minimum income, except for that. Swalwell does not earn a living from the company, according to filings with the state of California, although he could benefit if the company is sold.
“Findraiser is a platform like hundreds of other tools on the market that help Democratic campaigns communicate effectively,” said a Swalwell spokesperson. “Congressman Swalwell and the Fundraiser team consulted with the House Committee on Ethics regarding the design and implementation of the tool every step of the way.”
Nevertheless, it highlights how mixing public service and private enterprise can raise ethical questions.
Wolff told The Times that none of the fundraiser investors have business before Congress, but declined to name the backers.
The fundraiser’s fair market value is between $100,001 and $1 million, according to campaign finance documents filed with the state this month.
Swalwell said in the papers that he is a part owner. Besides the congressman and Wolff, another member of the state-listed company is Paul Mandell, who runs the event business.
The company’s website boasts that it offers “an AI-powered live chat that supercharges your fundraising website search. This first-of-its-kind tool sits on top of your political fundraising website, allowing you to ask simple, accurate questions and get the results you need quickly.”
The website also contains testimonials, including from former Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison, who says Findraiser offers AI technology that makes it “easier than ever for campaigns to connect with the right donors and raise what they need to win.”
The amount of money campaigns paid to use Findraiser is just a name, federal campaign finance records show. During the 2025-26 cycle, Swalwell’s campaign for Congress reported paying a fundraiser of $6,630. His gubernatorial campaign paid the company $975.
Wolff, in an interview with The Times, declined to provide details about the company’s staff and how much it charges customers.
In his interview with the political podcast “The Great Battlefield,” he also recounted that the writers’ strike was the impetus for Findraiser and that Swalwell came up with the name.
He acknowledged that it is “unusual” for a member of Congress to start a company with his boss. He also said that “there’s a lot of ethical back and forth — for lawyers and all that, to make sure we’re on top and that everything’s right.”
Among other things, the fundraiser helped Swalwell’s campaigns bring in more money, he said. For example, a campaign could target donors who gave small sums to Swalwell but large checks to other politicians, Wolf said.
“We have been able to set up meetings with such people, and they have increased their donations.”
Besides Wolf, another staffer working for Swalwell’s campaign and his state office is also being paid by contract to do digital work for the Findraiser, Wolf confirmed.
Michael Beckel, director of political reform finance at Issue One, a bipartisan advocacy group, said that while there is no law prohibiting a member of Congress from hiring their own company, voters can see a problem.
“Voters may see self-dealing as evidence that a candidate is prioritizing personal enrichment over public service, which damages confidence in elections and government institutions,” he said.
“If donors give money knowing that it will benefit the candidate, that undermines the dignity of the political system.”
Swalwell’s campaign declined to comment on Beckel’s claims.
Wolf said in a podcast interview last year that business is “doing really well.”
“We have PACs using it. We have first-time candidates, and 20-year incumbents using it. We have congressional races and Senate races,” Wolf said.
Around 2024, the company began offering beta testing, he said.
“Obviously, both Eric and my network are people in the political space and in our day-to-day, as we talked to people, we had people say, ‘Well, I want to use it,'” Wolf said. “And then we had a group of people who ended up beta testing it.”
A spokeswoman for Swalwell’s campaign said “The Findraiser has spread by word of mouth among campaigns across the country. Any campaign or candidate’s decision to use this tool depends on their choice and their organization’s strategic priorities.”
The Times contacted 16 congressional campaigns that reported using the fundraiser in recent state filings. No one can tell The Times how they came to hire the company.
Both Schiff and Gomez endorsed Swalwell in his gubernatorial campaign.
Schiff paid about $2,000 for two months of Findraiser services last year. However, Wolff, in his podcast interview, said Findraiser is working with Schiff “a lot.”
Ian Mariani, a spokesman for Schiff’s campaign, said the company was “one of the many vendors that our team used, and it helped us connect with quite a few people.”
