Before joining EFF, Josh served for six years as communications director, deputy chief of staff, and senior advisor to Congressman Eric Swalwell, a member of the House Judiciary, Intelligence, and Homeland Security committees and co-chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. He helped shape the message on a wide range of legislative priorities, including gun violence, student loan debt, and protecting our democracy, as well as through the Trump-Russia investigations, the COVID-19 pandemic, and two presidential impeachments, including the Congressman’s role as an Impeachment Manager. He also served as communications director for Rep. Swalwell’s presidential campaign in 2019. Earlier, Josh was a journalist for almost 24 years: five years covering City Hall for the Express-Times in Easton, PA, and then 19 years covering state and national politics for the Bay Area News Group, where his byline appeared in the Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, and other Bay Area newspapers. While at the Bay Area News Group, he created the Political Blotter blog; was a lead reporter on the award-winning Chauncey Bailey Project, investigating the circumstances around the 2007 assassination of Bailey, a journalist and former colleague; and was a frequent guest on San Francisco public television station KQED’s public affairs programs. He’s a Queens, NY, native and an Eagle Scout who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.