Staff members in Rep. Eric Swalwells (D-CA) congressional office and on his gubernatorial campaign have issued a blistering letter declaring they are horrified by sexual assault allegations lodged against the Democrat
According to Breitbart, the letter was supplied to Politico by a senior staffer with Swalwells campaign who was granted anonymity, and was said to represent more than a dozen unnamed staffers. The anonymous employees wrote that they stand with their former colleague who has accused Swalwell, as well as with several other women who have now come forward.
The allegations first surfaced in the San Francisco Chronicle, where a former staffer claimed that Swalwell, a married father 17 years older than her, sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions. She alleged that after driving him home from a donor meeting, Swalwell, who is married and 17 years her senior at age 45, tried to kiss her in her car, and that during another drive weeks later, Swalwell pulled out his penis in the car and asked her to perform oral sex on him. She said she did so in a parking lot.
The woman further alleged that in September 2019, Swalwell invited her out for drinks, after which she became so intoxicated she could not recall the remainder of the night. She said she woke up naked in Swalwells hotel bed and could feel the effect of vaginal intercourse, and claimed that he then distanced himself from her and allowed the relationship to fade.
According to her account, five years later she encountered Swalwell again at an April 2024 charity gala where he was being honored, by which time she no longer worked for him. She said they met for drinks afterward and that she became so inebriated she remembers only fragments of the evening, including pushing him away and telling him, No, while he allegedly forced himself on her.
The former staffer also relayed her story to CNN, which reported that Three other women described alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell. These additional claims have intensified scrutiny of the California Democrat, who has long been promoted by his party as a rising star despite past controversies, including his entanglement with a suspected Chinese spy.
In their letter, the staff leaders did not mince words about the gravity of the accusations. As leaders of teams working for Eric Swalwell, were horrified by the recent reporting in the San Francisco Chronicle and by CNN, they wrote, adding, We stand with our former colleague, and the other women who have come forward. We believe you should stand with them, too.
They went on to condemn the alleged conduct as fundamentally incompatible with public service. The behavior detailed in these reports is abhorrent, beneath the dignity of those serving in public office and betrays the trust of all Californians, the staffers declared, signaling a rare internal revolt against a sitting Democrat from within his own operation.
The letter also emphasized that staff members are trying to maintain stability while the scandal unfolds. We also understand that we lead teams who need guidance and stability now, more than ever, it continued, noting, We are focused on supporting our colleagues during this challenging time. Any decision of staff members to remain in their roles in the interim should not be viewed as support for Eric Swalwell.
Prominent Democrats have begun to distance themselves from Swalwells gubernatorial bid, underscoring the political damage. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), along with Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), have all withdrawn their endorsements and urged him to end his campaign.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a powerful figure in California Democratic politics, also weighed in with a carefully worded statement. She said the woman who made serious allegations against Swalwell must be respected and heard, a notable rebuke of a longtime ally.
Pelosi further insisted that the process must be thorough and independent of electoral considerations. This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability, she added, stressing, As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.
For many conservatives, the unfolding scandal raises familiar questions about double standards in how Democrats handle #MeToo-era accusations when the accused is one of their own. With staffers openly breaking ranks and party leaders scrambling to protect their political brand, the case against Swalwell is rapidly becoming a test of whether the left will apply to its favored figures the same standards of accountability it has long demanded of its opponents.
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