By Daniel Trotta
April 10 (Reuters) – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and a leading candidate for governor of the state, has been accused of sexual assault by a former congressional staffer, accusations he forcefully denied as false and politically motivated.
Several leading Democratic politicians responded by urging Swalwell to end his campaign for governor.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday that a woman who previously worked in Swalwell’s district office accused him of two nonconsensual sexual encounters, one while she was employed by him in 2019 and another in 2024 after she had left his staff.
The woman, whom the newspaper did not name, was quoted as saying she had been too intoxicated on both occasions to consent, according to the report.
The former staffer later told CNN that Swalwell had raped her during the later encounter, which Swalwell strongly denied.
“I was pushing him off of me, saying no,” the woman told CNN on camera but in shadow to disguise her appearance. When asked how he responded, the woman said, “He didn’t stop.”
CNN reported that three other women had accused Swalwell of separate instances of sexual misconduct, including unsolicited explicit messages or photos. Swalwell denied those claims as well.
“These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor,” Swalwell said in a statement to the Chronicle and CNN.
“For nearly 20 years, I have served the public – as a prosecutor and a congressman – and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”
A spokesperson for Swalwell did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The accusations have jolted the campaign. U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, another nationally prominent Democrat, withdrew his endorsement and urged Swalwell to leave the race. The California Teachers Association, the largest teachers’ union in the state, suspended its support. The House Democratic leadership, including Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the Democrats in the chamber, said Swalwell should “immediately end his campaign.”
In a large field of candidates from multiple parties, Swalwell has been widely considered one of the leading contenders to advance to a runoff in California’s nonpartisan voting for governor. The top two finishers in June’s primary will advance to the general election in November, even if they are from the same party.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by William Mallard)
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