Representative Eric Swalwell has been posting videos on social media in an attempt to make himself appear athletic. It’s unclear why he is doing this. And it’s not working.

Swalwell appears to be intent on claiming that a scheduled congressional recess is some sort of government shutdown by Republicans to avoid releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.

For whatever reason, the series of videos attempts to make the congressman appear to be a sports buff. A sportsball aficionado. A jock. In short, all of the words you would never associate with, say, a person like Eric Swalwell.

The series of videos kicked off with the California Democrat casually standing in his pool, lamenting the fact that “I should be working right now.”

Each clip follows essentially the same script: “I should be in Congress. I should be voting to lower your costs. But instead, I’m in a pool. Because Republicans sent everyone home because they don’t want to release the Epstein files.”

Swalwell then turns to hit a three-foot shot on his little Fisher-Price poolside basketball hoop to show off his athletic prowess. Or something.

I should be working right now. But Republicans shut down Congress. So instead I’m in a pool. pic.twitter.com/S8f0rIfBEj

— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) July 26, 2025