Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell, now running for governor of California, is scrambling to salvage his political future after explosive sexual assault allegations triggered an exodus of endorsements and staff.
The controversy erupted after the San Francisco Chronicle published claims from a former staffer who said Swalwell pursued her shortly after she joined his office at age 21 and later assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent, as reported by Gateway Pundit. A woman who worked for nearly two years for Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading candidate for California governor, said she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss and alleged he twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
According to the outlet, the woman worked in Swalwells office for nearly two years and alleged that the congressman began pursuing her within weeks of her hiring in 2019. The claims cut directly against the Democrat Partys long-touted believe all survivors mantra, raising questions about whether that standard applies when the accused is a powerful liberal lawmaker.
Swalwell issued a written denial on Friday, dismissing the accusations as politically timed. These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor, he said, framing himself as the victim of an orchestrated attack rather than addressing the power imbalance at the heart of the complaint.
His legal team escalated the confrontation by sending the accuser a cease-and-desist letter, accusing her of making false statements and effectively attempting to silence her through legal intimidation. For a party that routinely condemns such tactics when used by conservatives, the move underscores a glaring double standard.
The political fallout was swift and severe as prominent California Democrats, including Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi, distanced themselves from Swalwell and urged him to exit the race. Schiff withdrew his endorsement and publicly called on him to drop out of Californias gubernatorial contest, signaling that even party insiders see him as a liability.
Swalwells campaign staffers resigned, and additional endorsements evaporated after the Chronicle story became public, leaving his once front-running campaign in disarray. Later Friday night, under mounting pressure, he released a video statement that sounded more defensive than exculpatory.
These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. Theyre absolutely false, Swalwell insisted in the video he posted to social media. They did not happen. They have never happened and I will fight them with everything that I have. He continued, They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the front-runner candidate for the governor in California.
In the same message, Swalwell appeared to concede that he had engaged in extramarital affairs and offered an apology to his wife, a personal admission that further complicates his moral standing. Eric Swalwell concluded his short video message by telling the public that he will spend the rest of the weekend with his friends and family, but the larger question remains whether Democrats will apply their own standards on sexual misconduct to one of their ownor quietly move on now that a key figure has become politically inconvenient.
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