By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell accuses the Trump administration’s top housing regulator of abusing his position to misuse private mortgage records belonging to Swalwell and other Democratic critics of the Republican president.

Swalwell sued Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte less than two weeks after Pulte formally referred the California Democrat to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution on mortgage fraud charges.

Swalwell is seeking a court order for Pulte and his agency to withdraw the criminal referral. His lawsuit, which also seeks unspecified monetary damages, accuses Pulte of violating federal laws and Swalwell’s First Amendment free speech rights.

Pulte didn’t

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