Sex Assault Claims Force Eric Swalwell To End Campaign Run

Source: The Washington Post / Getty

On Sunday (April 12), Representative Eric Swalwell of California announced that he was suspending his campaign to become California’s next governor, as he is now facing several allegations of sexual assault and rape. The Democratic politician made the announcement via social media.

“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell wrote in the post on X, formerly Twitter. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.” Swalwell has firmly denied all of the allegations.

The announcement came after a firestorm of controversy erupted surrounding the congressman on Friday (April 10) after an article in the San Francisco Chronicle was published. The article centered on an ex-staffer who claimed that Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice when she was intoxicated, and that they had several sexual encounters during her two years of working under him. 

Three other women, who remained anonymous, also stepped forward with allegations against Swalwell. Their stories were detailed in an article published later on Friday evening by CNN, with one claiming that he sent unsolicited photos of his penis, and another claiming that she wound up in his hotel room without knowing how she got there after he kissed her and touched her leg while the two were at a bar. 

The 45-year-old politician representing a suburban San Francisco district had become a well-known figure in Washington D.C., primarily for his vigor in taking on President Donald Trump in his first term in office. One of those moments included him becoming a manager of the 2021 attempt to impeach Trump after the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol by pro-Trump supporters.

His decision to run for governor placed him in a crowded field, but saw him gain an edge to be the favorite among the Democratic candidates. But the accusations have now left several of Swalwell’s colleagues calling for him to resign from Congress, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).