Campaign records show a messy trail of payments from Rep. Eric Swalwell’s operation to a Haitian American staffer that add up to more than $360,000, with shifting explanations that don’t sit right. The files list everything from security services and salary to event flowers and postage, while the staffer runs a limousine business and moderates a selective Facebook group. The campaign’s terse reply and an odd social post from Swalwell fuel calls for a clearer accounting and an official look. Outside experts say the FEC should take notice as the paperwork raises real compliance questions.
Federal Election Commission disclosures tied to Swalwell’s campaign and its Remedy PAC show more than 75 payments to a person named Darly Meyer, with line items that jump around by category and amount. Individual checks range from pocket change sums in the low tens to single payments north of $12,000, and the pattern spans multiple years. Last year alone there were more than 27 payments that totaled over $120,000, and filings suggest Meyer is on pace to top that again in 2025.
The stated reasons for those disbursements are all over the map: listed as travel expenses, car service, security services and salary in different entries. There are also multiple reimbursements for things that look odd in a campaign ledger, including “personal travel expense reimbursement,” “event flowers reimbursement” and postage. When line items flip back and forth like this it becomes hard to tell what was truly paid for and why the classifications kept changing.
Meyer is not just a name on a ledger; he runs a North Hollywood company called CYD Global Car Service that advertises chauffeurs, corporate shuttles and limousine services, focused on luxury travel. He is also an administrator of a Facebook group titled “CaliHaitians – Haitians in Az, Ca, Nv, Hi, Or, Wa,” which bills itself as a “progressive community” of Haitians spread across several states. The group’s public “about” material makes clear it is “selective” about new members and seeks leaders from other organizations who can provide professional services to the community.
The Facebook page goes further, inviting established organizers into alliances and saying in full, “Lastly, in forging a strategic partnership and casting a wider net for the betterment of Haiti and its children outside of the country, we invite head members of other organizations or groups boasting 500+ members to join us.” That kind of network-building is routine for community groups, but it also flags potential intersections between campaign activity and broader nonprofit or advocacy efforts that deserve scrutiny.
The group’s admin roster includes other activists, among them Guerline Jozef, identified as co-founder and executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, which describes its mission as “working to end racist border policies like the Remain in Mexico Policy, Title 42, and the border-to-prison-and-deportation pipeline” and assisting migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Those ties complicate the picture by linking a paid campaign contact to advocacy networks that have clear policy agendas.
The Swalwell campaign’s response was short and blunt, saying only that “Darly protects me and my family.” , writing that Fox News Digital “emailed and asked why I’ve spent $350,000 on security” and saying, “Maybe I should send [the reporter] the bill?” That post and the campaign’s minimal reply leave open questions about the exact nature of Meyer’s duties and whether the paperwork accurately reflects them.
California licensing searches conducted in the public record didn’t show a security license for Meyer, an odd gap if a large portion of the payments were for security services. When contacted about the payments, Meyer offered no explanation and answered simply, “No comment.” That silence, combined with the inconsistent expense categories, increases the demand for a clearer accounting from the campaign and for an outside review.
https://x.com/RepSwalwell/status/1983553408117211236
Hans von Spakovsky, a former FEC commissioner and current legal fellow, said bluntly that “this is the type of bizarre inconsistency that should catch the attention of the FEC.” He added that the odd entries ought to “cause the agency’s auditing arm to investigate whether these were legitimate payments to a legitimate contractor.” This episode is also just the latest time Swalwell’s spending has drawn notice; filings over several years show repeated luxury travel and high-end vendor bills, from chartered yachts described as “relaxing and luxurious” to three payments for nearly $1,700 at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Hotel, labeled a “global icon of Arabian luxury.” Campaign reports show nearly $90,000 in travel expenses in the last quarter of 2023 and close to $60,000 in a six-week stretch in 2022, including $1,752 at Hotel La Maison Champs-Elysées in Paris, all of which keeps the scrutiny alive.
Darnell Thompkins is a Canadian-born American and conservative opinion writer who brings a unique perspective to political and cultural discussions. Passionate about traditional values and individual freedoms, Darnell’s commentary reflects his commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue. When he’s not writing, he enjoys watching hockey and celebrating the sport that connects his Canadian roots with his American journey.