Prominent Trump-Supporter And Former US Attorney Bill McSwain Is Running For PA Governor

WEST CHESTER, PA — William McSwain, previously the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District in Pennsylvania and a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, has officially joined the Republican primary race for governor of Pennsylvania.

In his first run for public office, McSwain, a Chester County County resident, has made it plain he seeks the endorsement of the former President. In a July letter addressed to President Trump, McSwain called Pennsylvania's election process in 2020 "a partisan disgrace." McSwain asserted in the letter, "The Governor, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and the partisan State Supreme Court made up their own rules and did not follow the law." McSwain's letter attacks his would-be opponent, two-term PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro, calling him "irresponsible" and laying blame at Shapiro's feet "that many Pennsylvanians lack faith in our state’s election results."

McSwain, 52, has told fellow Pennsylvania Republicans he is uniquely positioned to defeat Democratic contender Shapiro, who has said he plans to run for governor.

"I will be the Republican candidate for governor with the best chance to win the general election in November 2022," McSwain wrote. McSwain's campaign has confirmed McSwain's authorship of the letter.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's term expires in 2022. A host of Republicans are vying to replace him, including former U.S. Senate nominee Lou Barletta and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale.

McSwain resigned his federal prosecutor post after three years on Jan. 22, following Joe Biden's election. He's since returned to private law practice.

Upon stepping down as U.S. Attorney, McSwain gave a statement saying, "I want to thank President Trump for appointing me as U.S. Attorney, Senators Toomey and Casey for recommending me for the position, and Attorneys General Barr and Sessions for leading the Department of Justice during my service." He added, "My overriding focus as U.S. Attorney was on pursuing justice in order to protect the community. I gave this job all that I had – all day, every day. While we’ve had many significant accomplishments during my tenure, the credit for these successes belongs to the hardworking, dedicated professionals at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners."

McSwain left the U.S. Attorney's office with two high-profile cases still pending: an ongoing fight against the Safehouse injection site in Philadelphia that he personally argued in court; and indictments against leaders of the city's most powerful union, IBEW Local 98, including longtime business manager John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty and union member and Philadelphia City Councilman Bobby Henon, NBC Philadelphia has reported.

He is in contention with Trump's attorney general, Bill Barr, whom he asserts hindered McSwain from investigating voter fraud in the November 2020 election.

The Washington Post reported Barr denied that he ordered McSwain not to investigate allegations of election fraud, and said McSwain only made the claim to curry favor with Trump.

In a campaign video posted Monday on YouTube, McSwain said he will "fight to restore the freedoms Tom Wolf has taken away." He said, "Tom Wolf suffocated our economy, stifled entrepreneurship, and paid people more not to work. That ends when I'm governor."

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