1 month ago
Accusations of rape and different misconduct against Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has thrown California’s already chaotic California gubernatorial race into chartless territory pinch influential politicians calling connected Swalwell to driblet retired ASAP.
Four women, including an ex-staffer for nan Bay Area typical who says Swalwell raped her tow years ago, alleged attacks and unwelcomed explicit communications, according to reports coming by CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle. The erstwhile staffer has said she antecedently had nonconsensual sex pinch Swalwell successful 2019 aft a nighttime of drinking. That first brushwood was erstwhile nan female was connected his Congressman’s team. The alleged 2024 rape was erstwhile nan woman, who stopped moving for nan Congressman successful 2021, was nary longer successful Swalwell’s office.
Occurring complete a number of years and up to rather recently, nan 2024 rape declare has seen immoderate different contenders to switch Gavin Newson, nan Golden State’s Senators and Swalwell’s governmental mentor telephone connected cablegram news regular Congressman to driblet out. “To nan subsister who risked everything to travel guardant – I judge you,” San Joes Mayor and chap Democratic campaigner Matt Mahan said Friday arsenic nan claims “To nan Democratic Party – you’d amended clasp him accountable. If we don’t, we person nary credibility asking anyone other to do nan same.”
“As we proceed to study more, these allegations from aggregate sources are profoundly troubling and must beryllium taken seriously,” said Gov. Newsom of Swalwell and nan revelations.
Swalwell put retired a connection denying nan claims: “These allegations are mendacious and travel connected nan eve of an predetermination against nan frontrunner for governor. For astir 20 years, I person served nan nationalist — arsenic a charismatic and a congressman – – and person ever protected women. I will take sides myself pinch nan facts and wherever basal bring ineligible action. My attraction successful nan coming days is to beryllium pinch my woman and children and take sides our decades of work against these lies.”
Perhaps much importantly personally and poltically to Swalwell, ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff person each called connected nan agelong clip Congressman to extremity his campaign.
“I person publication nan San Francisco Chronicle’s relationship and I americium profoundly distressed by its allegations,” Sen. Schiff declared today. of nan rape claimed by nan erstwhile Swalwell staff. “This female was brave to travel forward, and we should return her communicative seriously. I americium withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and judge that he should retreat from nan race.” In his ain remarks connected nan matter, Padilla said Friday: “These allegations are profoundly superior and warrant a afloat investigation. Survivors merit to beryllium heard and treated pinch dignity and respect. Given nan gravity of these claims, Rep. Eric Swalwell should measurement speech to guarantee a full, transparent investigation free from undue influence.”
Losing nan still powerful and influential Pelosi, arsenic good arsenic nan Senators will surely deed Swalwell difficult pinch his guidelines arsenic good arsenic donors. “Maybe he could past this, but I don’t spot how,” a salient Hollywood shaper who has written large checks to Dems complete nan years told Deadline coming arsenic nan allegations came out. “There were a batch of stories astir Eric before, this kills his campaign. He’s toast.”
Already, successful different large rustle to nan candidate’s bottommost statement and get retired nan ballot efforts, nan California Teachers Association person withdrawn their support of Swalwell.
The allegations are incredibly disturbing and unacceptable against Rep. Swalwell. We are instantly suspending our support. Our elected committee will beryllium gathering arsenic soon arsenic imaginable to travel our union’s antiauthoritarian process to find adjacent steps.
— California Teachers Association (@WeAreCTA) April 10, 2026CTA’s democratically elected committee has voted unanimously to rescind our endorsement of Representative Eric Swalwell successful his run for Governor of California. We retreat each support.
— California Teachers Association (@WeAreCTA) April 11, 2026A changeless foil to Donald Trump, Swalwell, who has been deed difficult by rivals complete his noticeable absences from House votes complete nan years since he first arrived connected Capital Hill successful 2013, sewage into nan California governor’s title backmost successful November.
Following successful nan contented of Arnold Schwarzenegger Swalwell went precocious nighttime to make his bid official and announced connected Jimmy Kimmel Live! Some polls person had him successful nan lead pinch nan support of astir 15% of apt voters going into nan June 2 primary. Due successful nary mini portion to nan swath of Dems for illustration Mahan, ex-Rep Katie Porter, ex-LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and billionaire and onetime POTUS campaigner Tom Steyer, different polls person had Republicans ex-UK Prime Minister adjutant and Fox News talking caput Steve Hilton, who Trump has endorsed, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco successful nan apical spots.
The caput of California’s Democrats didn’t straight telephone connected Swalwell to driblet retired of nan title to norm complete nan world’s 4th largest system from Sacramento, but Rusty Hicks besides didn’t promote Swalwell to stay.
