Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell denies sexually assaulting former staffer

Washington — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who is moving for California governor, denied allegations that helium sexually assaulted a erstwhile staffer.  

"These allegations are mendacious and travel connected the eve of an predetermination against the frontrunner for governor," Swalwell said successful a statement. "For astir 20 years, I person served the nationalist — arsenic a authoritative and a congressman and person ever protected women."

Swalwell threatened to instrumentality ineligible enactment against the woman, who elaborate the alleged encounters to the San Francisco Chronicle, which published a story Friday. 

"My absorption successful the coming days is to beryllium with my woman and children and support our decades of work against these lies," Swalwell said.  

The woman, who was not named, said Swalwell started pursuing her soon aft she was hired to enactment successful his territory bureau successful Castro Valley successful 2019. 

She alleged helium sent her inappropriate photos of himself via Snapchat, requested nude photos of her and asked her to execute oral enactment connected him successful a parking lot. She besides alleged that aft going retired for drinks with Swalwell successful September 2019, she woke up bare successful his edifice furniture with small recollection of the night.  

Five years later, successful 2024, erstwhile she nary longer worked for Swalwell, she said she met him for drinks aft a foundation gala successful New York. She said she became intoxicated and lone remembers parts of the night, including allegedly pushing him distant and telling him "no" portion helium forced himself connected her. She said she woke up the adjacent greeting with vaginal bleeding and bruises. 

The Chronicle said it reviewed texts the pistillate sent to a person 3 days aft the alleged incident, successful which she wrote she was "sexually assaulted" by Swalwell. 

"This happened 1 different clip erstwhile I was moving with him, but I convinced myself I was an adjacent enactment successful it adjacent though aforesaid pattern: I blacked retired and helium had enactment with me," she wrote, according to the Chronicle, referring to the alleged 2019 incident. 

The Chronicle besides spoke with the antheral who was the woman's fellow astatine the clip of the 2024 incident. The then-boyfriend said helium encouraged the pistillate to study Swalwell to the police, but the pistillate said she did not bash truthful due to the fact that she was acrophobic they would not judge her due to the fact that she had already showered and thought it would beryllium improbable that an introspection would find evidence. 

Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California, a run seat for Swalwell's gubernatorial bid, called connected him to driblet retired of the race, calling the accusation "shocking" and said the communicative contains "the ugliest and astir superior accusations imaginable." 

"The congressman should permission the contention present truthful determination tin beryllium afloat accountability without doubt, distraction, oregon delay," Gomez said, adding that helium was cutting ties with Swalwell's run "effective immediately." 

Democratic Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Adam Schiff of California besides said they were withdrawing their endorsements.  

"What is described is indefensible," Gallego said. "Women who travel guardant with accounts similar this merit to beryllium heard with respect, not questioned oregon dismissed. I regret having travel to his defence connected societal media anterior to knowing each the information. I americium arsenic arsenic shocked and upset astir what has transpired." 

Schiff said helium was "deeply distressed" by the accusations and called connected Swalwell to retreat from the race. 

Swalwell besides mislaid the enactment of the California Teachers Association, which called the allegations "incredibly disturbing and unacceptable."