California gubernatorial candidate Swalwell denies sexual assault allegations
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and leading candidate for governor, on Friday (April 10) flatly denied accusations of sexual assault by a former congressional staffer, calling them “completely false.” Kristi Kilburn reports.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has reportedly launched an investigation into Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who is running for governor of California, after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct.
The New York Times reports that the office is investigating Swalwell for allegedly assaulting a woman in New York City in 2024. The Washington Post said the accusations, which are under investigation, were made by former employees.
CNN also confirmed the investigation, which came a day after the network reported that Swalwell’s former staffer accused him of having sex with her without her consent.
USA TODAY reached out to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for comment, but did not receive a response.
Swalwell, who is the leading Democratic candidate for governor in polls, denied the allegations in a video posted to social media late on April 10, calling the claims false.
On April 11, his Congressional and campaign officials issued a joint statement to multiple media outlets, saying they were “horrified” by the allegations.
“We stand with our former colleagues and the other women who have come forward, and we believe you should stand with them, too,” they said in a statement. “The conduct detailed in these reports is an abhorrent violation of the dignity of those who hold public office and a betrayal of the trust of all Californians.”
Prior to that, several national politicians withdrew their support for Swalwell and urged him to withdraw from the California gubernatorial race after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported on the sexual assault allegations on April 10. CNN also reported on claims by three other women who say Swalwell sent them sexually inappropriate, unsolicited messages and nude photos.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that she advised Mr. Swalwell to step down as a candidate for governor to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose term ends in 2027.
“The young women who made serious allegations against Congressman Swalwell deserve to be respected and heard. This extremely sensitive matter must be properly investigated with full transparency and accountability,” Pelosi said. “As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it’s clear that this is best done outside of the gubernatorial race.”
Also among those calling on Mr. Swalwell to withdraw from the California gubernatorial race are Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Katherine Clark (Massachusetts), and caucus chairman Rep. Pete Aguilar (California). They are also calling for an investigation into claims made by a former staff member and three other women.
Mr. Swalwell, 45, was first elected to Congress in 2012, representing a Northern California district outside Oakland, where he was Alameda County’s prosecutor. Swalwell was also a strong candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, but subsequently dropped out and endorsed the eventual winner, Joe Biden.
Contributors: Terry Collins and Noe Padilla
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
