Rep. Eric Swalwell broke his silence on allegations of sexual misconduct Tuesday night after a marketing campaign occasion in Sacramento, saying social media studies of inappropriate habits with feminine staffers are “false.”
“There has by no means been an allegation and there has by no means been a settlement,” stated Swalwell, one of many main Democrats within the race for California governor.
When pressed by reporters on whether or not he had ever had a sexual relationship with a staffer or intern, Swalwell responded: “No, no, no, no”
The allegations in opposition to the East Bay congressman — who’s married and has three youngsters — have largely been circulated on social media by a handful of influencers who’ve claimed that Swalwell engaged in inappropriate conduct with youthful girls linked to his workplace or marketing campaign.
A spokesperson for Swalwell’s marketing campaign issued an announcement earlier Tuesday utilizing lots of the similar speaking factors the congressman himself instructed reporters later within the night.
Former congresswoman Katie Porter — one in every of Swalwell’s high Democratic rivals within the governor’s race — known as consideration to the “very troubling allegations” in an interview Tuesday on CNN.
“With regard to Rep. Swalwell, I’ve seen allegations coming from girls staffers,” Porter stated. “They’re very, very troubling allegations. It’s these girls’s tales to inform when they’re prepared, and I hope they really feel secure and supported in the event that they select to take action.”
Chatting with reporters after a city corridor that drew tons of, Swalwell stated neither his congressional workplace nor his marketing campaign had reached out to the people posting the accusations.
“I don’t need there to be any query within the minds of Californians,” Swalwell stated.
The allegations come on high of separate questions on Swalwell’s residency in California.
He claims to lease a room in a small Livermore house, however he has ceaselessly stayed at luxurious inns when returning to California over time. Swalwell additionally has been crashing on the Beverly Hills mansion of billionaire Stephen Cloobeck and the timeshare mogul’s fiancée, an alleged honeytrapper set to face trial on six felonies.
The Publish interviewed neighbors who stay on the identical small cul-de-sac the place Swalwell claims to stay and none of them acknowledged the congressman.
Swalwell dismissed The Publish’s query on why his neighbors stated they’d by no means seen him,
“That’s not true,” he stated, laughing when requested concerning the report. “It’s humorous, they known as me and instructed me that you simply did that. So that they know who I’m.”
Dan Schnur, a instructor of political communications at USC and UC Berkeley, instructed The Publish that Swalwell might climate the allegations of inappropriate habits, however the ultimate two months earlier than the June 2 election shall be each a dash and a marathon.
“If Swalwell’s denials maintain up, it ought to solely be a short-term distraction,” Schnur stated. “However whereas he’s the frontrunner proper now, his lead continues to be pretty precarious. So, if these girls begin talking out in public, it might be very expensive to him.”
