Dem rep hires private investigator hired to track down Mo Brooks so he can serve GOP congressman with lawsuit

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) is continuing to avoid the lawsuit filed against him by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who is seeking to hold his Republican colleague accountable for the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.

On Wednesday, June 2, Swalwell's attorneys filed documents in court detailing the difficulties they have faced with serving the Republican lawmaker. According to CNN, Federal Judge Amit Mehta granted Swalwell's legal team an additional 60 days to continue its efforts to serve Brooks.

Although Swalwell requested assistance from U.S. Marshalls, Mehta denied the request "due to separation of powers concerns."

On Wednesday, the legal team detailed the obstacles they faced. "Counsel spoke to two different staff members on two separate occasions, and each time was promised a return call that never came," Swalwell's attorneys wrote.

"Plaintiff had to engage the services of a private investigator to attempt to serve Brooks personally -- a difficult feat under normal circumstances that has been complicated further in the wake of the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol that Defendants incited," the court filing continued. "Plaintiff's investigator has spent many hours over many days in April and May at locations in multiple jurisdictions attempting to locate and serve Brooks, to no avail."

"The problem here is that Mo Brooks' door is under lock and key ... There was just no access to the primary place that he was for much of the day," Andonian said.

During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday, Swalwell's attorney Philip Andonian also detailed the challenges they've faced as he confirmed their intent to continue their search.

"The problem here is that Mo Brooks' door is under lock and key ... There was just no access to the primary place that he was for much of the day," Andonian said. "It just takes persistence and luck sometimes. We're not claiming Brooks is hiding in a bunker somewhere. But it takes a lot of effort."