A former aide to Rep. Eric Swalwell, a prime Democratic candidate for governor of California, instructed the San Francisco Chronicle that she had sexual encounters with him when he was her boss and alleged that he twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent.
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The lady labored for Swalwell from 2019 till 2021, NBC Information confirmed. The lady’s lawyer declined to remark and NBC Information has not verified her allegations, as reported by the Chronicle.
Swalwell didn’t instantly reply to requests to remark by way of his marketing campaign, congressional workplace or his legal professional. He instructed the Chronicle in an announcement that the lady’s allegations are usually not true.
“These allegations are false and are available on the eve of an election towards the frontrunner for governor,” he wrote, later including: “I’ll defend myself with the information and the place needed deliver authorized motion. My focus within the coming days is to be with my spouse and kids and defend our many years of service towards these lies.”
The previous staffer instructed the Chronicle that in September 2019, whereas she was employed by him, Swalwell invited her out for drinks, and she or he turned so intoxicated that she doesn’t keep in mind what occurred. She stated she awoke bare in his resort mattress and will “really feel the impact of vaginal intercourse.”
In April 2024, after she stopped working for the congressman, she stated she met Swalwell for drinks after a charity gala at which he was honored. She once more turned so inebriated whereas consuming with him that she solely remembers “snippets” of the night, she instructed the paper. One of many flashes she recalled was Swalwell having intercourse together with her in his resort room and telling him no.
The Chronicle says it reviewed textual content messages she despatched to a buddy about that encounter three days later, which included that she instructed Swalwell to cease. The paper additionally interviewed her boyfriend on the time, who confirmed she instructed him concerning the alleged assault and its reporters seen medical information that confirmed she sought being pregnant and STD exams afterward.
Within the days earlier than the story was printed on Friday, rumors bounced round each left-wing and right-wing social media about potential allegations towards the congressman associated to sexual misconduct. Swalwell was requested concerning the rumors by a reporter for KTXL in Sacramento, who stated she requested whether or not he had ever had inappropriate relations with a staffer or intern. “It’s false,” he replied.
Swalwell’s marketing campaign tried to get out in entrance of any story, issuing a uncommon however vehement preemptive denial, saying that the congressman had not engaged in any inappropriate conduct.
“This false, outrageous rumor is being unfold 27 days earlier than an election begins by flailing opponents who’ve sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists as a result of they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner on this race,” Micah Beasley, a marketing campaign spokesman, stated in an announcement Wednesday.
The assertion didn’t point out or tackle any particular allegations however stated in response to some on-line rumors that Swalwell had not requested anybody in his workplace to signal a non-disclosure settlement. The Chronicle’s report didn’t embody any allegations associated to NDAs.
“In 13 years, nobody in Eric Swalwell’s Congressional workplace has ever been requested to signal an NDA. Ever,” Beasley stated in his Wednesday assertion. “In 13 years, not a single ethics grievance by any employees in his workplace or another workplace has ever been lodged. Ever.”
After the Chronicle story printed on Friday, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., stated in a assertion he had stepped down from Swalwell’s gubernatorial marketing campaign, the place he served as a marketing campaign chair, and known as on him to drop out of the race. “At the moment I realized surprising details about Eric Swalwell containing the ugliest and most critical accusations conceivable,” Gomez stated, including that Swalwell “ought to go away the race now so there may be full accountability no doubt, distraction, or delay.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., stated he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell, an in depth buddy. “I’ve learn the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting and I take it significantly,” he stated. “What’s described is indefensible. Girls who come ahead with accounts like this should be heard with respect, not questioned or dismissed. … I’m withdrawing my endorsement of Congressman Swalwell, efficient instantly.”
The California Lecturers Affiliation additionally suspended its endorsement of Swalwell.
“The allegations are extremely disturbing and unacceptable towards Rep. Swalwell. We’re instantly suspending our assist,” CTA President David Goldberg stated in an announcement.
On Friday, all of Swalwell’s marketing campaign advertisements for his gubernatorial bid on Fb and Instagram had been listed as “inactive,” together with advertisements that had been working earlier within the day, based on a evaluation of Meta’s advert archive.
The California main for governor will happen on June 2, with early voting beginning on Might 4.
Swalwell, 45, an in depth ally of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a fellow San Francisco Bay Space Democrat, has served in Congress since 2013 and launched a long-shot, failed bid for the White Home in 2020.
He’s been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump in each of his phrases. After the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Pelosi named Swalwell, an legal professional, certainly one of Democrats’ 9 impeachment prosecutors.
Swalwell’s sharp criticism of the president made him a goal of Trump allies and the fitting. At first of 2023, then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., blocked Swalwell from serving on the Home Intelligence Committee, citing his ties to a 2014 marketing campaign volunteer who later was suspected to be a Chinese language spy, Christina Fang. That 12 months, the Home Ethics Committee took no motion towards Swalwell after a two-year investigation into the matter.
Swalwell minimize ties with Fang in 2015 after the FBI gave him what’s often known as a “defensive” briefing that she was working for Beijing and concentrating on a number of native rising politicians within the San Francisco Bay Space. Swalwell has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing within the Fang affair and stated he assisted the FBI in its investigation.
Final month, Swalwell requested the FBI to not launch recordsdata associated to his previous affiliation with the suspected Chinese language intelligence operative.
