Rep. Eric Swalwell’s political profession is collapsing at a surprising velocity.
Inside 24 hours, the Bay Space congressman has gone from Democratic frontrunner for California governor to dealing with stress to not solely finish his marketing campaign however resign from Congress — whereas now being the topic of a legal sexual assault investigation into allegations by a former staffer she was raped whereas drunk at an April 2024 charity gala.
Three different ladies have made claims about sexual misconduct starting from inappropriate messages or undesirable contact. The ladies have claimed they’ve documented visits to the hospital and contemporaneous messages with family and friends concerning the incidents.
The identical staffer has additionally claimed she awoke bare subsequent to him in a lodge room in 2019 after a heavy night time of ingesting and felt bodily like that they had intercourse.
The Manhattan District Legal professional’s Workplace has launching a legal probe into the lady’s rape declare.
“I used to be pushing him off of me, saying no,” she advised CNN. “He didn’t cease.”
The DA’s workplace issued an announcement Saturday urging survivors and anybody with information of allegations to contact its Particular Victims Division.
“Our specifically skilled prosecutors, investigators and counselors are well-equipped that can assist you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered method,” officers mentioned.
Swalwell has furiously denied the allegations of rape and sexual assault, however he did admit to indiscretions in a social media put up Friday night, saying he can be spending time away from the marketing campaign with household and pals.
Nonetheless, The Publish confirmed that moderately than being at dwelling, Swalwell was holed up within the $26million Beverly Hills mansion of his eccentric billionaire benefactor, Stephen Cloobeck.
A number of sources confirmed that the video Swalwell recorded was taken from a room contained in the 9,700-square-foot dwelling of Cloobeck, who’s additionally been shacking up with an alleged honeytrapper accused of burglarizing the house of wealthy, older males in Los Angeles.
“So much has been mentioned about me at this time by way of nameless allegations, and I believed it was essential that you just see and listen to from me immediately,” Swalwell mentioned in his denial video.
“These allegations of sexual assault are flat out false.”
Katie Porter, a former congressman, was certainly one of many candidates within the race for governor calling on Swalwell to finish his marketing campaign and to resign from Congress.
“However these selections don’t absolve him of taking accountability for his misconduct, particularly when he has tried to silence and retaliate in opposition to these victims,” Porter wrote, main some to notice allegations that she verbally abused and bodily assaulted her ex-husband.
Michael Trujillo, a Democratic political strategist based mostly in Los Angeles, advised The Publish he had heard of improper relationships between Swalwell and workers way back to 2017 – however even he was taken again by the rape allegations.
“Narcissistic sociopaths assume they’re good guys. So it doesn’t matter what Eric Swalwell has been accused of, he nonetheless thinks he’s an excellent particular person,” he mentioned.
Swalwell’s resistance to dropping out of the race has carried out little hold his marketing campaign workers from hemorrhaging.
“We’re making an attempt to assist the workers [find new jobs], people who find themselves new and cared and believed and put their skilled lives on the road,” one marketing campaign supply advised The Publish.
“They went to work for somebody who has horribly allow them to down.”
Senior staffers for each Swalwell’s marketing campaign and his congressional workplace issued a joint assertion saying they’re “horrified” by the allegations.
“The conduct detailed in these stories is abhorrent, beneath the dignity of these serving in public workplace and betrays the belief of all Californians,” staffers wrote.
“Any determination of workers members to stay of their roles within the interim shouldn’t be seen as help for Eric Swalwell.”
David Latterman, a political analyst in San Francisco, mentioned that Swalwell’s marketing campaign is sort of a “lifeless man strolling.”
Lots of Swalwell’s Democratic allies in Congress — from Home minority chief Hakeem Jeffries to former speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi — have known as for an investigation and advised Swalwell to drop out of the governor’s race.
“Perhaps the marketing campaign is the least of his issues proper now if he’s criminally charged and there’s actual proof in opposition to him,” Latterman advised The Publish.
Swalwell’s monetary disclosures supply one attainable clarification for why he has refused to step apart.
The congressman, who beforehand labored as a prosecutor in Alameda County, had at the very least $80,000 in bank card and pupil mortgage debt as of final summer time, together with a house mortgage for a property in Washington, D.C. valued between $1 million and $5 million, in line with financial disclosures he filed.
In the meantime, his belongings included a Financial institution of America account with as little as $15,000 and a small public pension valued between $1,001 and $15,000.
Swalwell’s reported stake in AI firm Findraiser, which has been accused of aggressively courting enterprise in a fashion that will violate Home ethics legal guidelines, was valued between $250,000 and $500,000. The know-how could also be a toughed promote with Swalwell below legal investigation.
Swalwell, who has claimed to lease a room in Livermore to ascertain residency in California, now may very well be on the hook for authorized charges to defend himself if a case strikes ahead.
The Publish visited Swalwell’s dwelling in Livermore and located an empty cottage cheese container on the garden, and none of his neighbors might recall having ever seen him.
With cash tight, Swalwell’s previous campaigns have supplied a lifeline for his household, as he spent $244,000 in marketing campaign funds on childcare from 2019 by way of 2025, in line with the Sacramento Bee. Swalwell and his spouse Brittany —whom he apologized to in his denial video Friday — have three younger youngsters.
A supply accustomed to the congressman’s monetary historical past advised The Publish that Swalwell’s cash scenario could also be what’s driving his refusal to heed requires him to finish his marketing campaign and resign from Congress.
“He has no backup,” the supply mentioned. “I actually assume a lot of that is a few monetary path ahead.”
