Sexual Harassment Allegations Rock Swalwell’s California Gubernatorial Campaign

Sexual harassment allegations against Rep. Eric Swalwell have escalated dramatically in California’s high-profile gubernatorial race, with a former staffer publicly sharing her story for the first time in a bombshell report by the San Francisco Chronicle.

The unnamed female accuser, who worked for Swalwell for approximately two years, alleges that the congressman began pursuing her shortly after she was hired as a 21-year-old staffer in his district office, despite being married at the time. According to her account, their interactions included multiple disturbing incidents where she blacked out from alcohol consumption before waking up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed.

The former staffer claims Swalwell pressured her to send nude photographs, sent explicit images of himself, exposed himself while driving, and requested sexual acts. She also alleges these interactions affected how she was treated professionally in the workplace.

The Chronicle reports the accuser began working for Swalwell during his 2019 presidential campaign. She claims the relationship escalated quickly, with Swalwell, then 38, initiating contact through Snapchat, an app where messages disappear after viewing. The communication allegedly progressed from requesting face photos to explicit content.

In one particularly troubling incident from September 2019, the woman reports Swalwell invited her to dinner and drinks, where she consumed too much alcohol and blacked out. She claims to have awakened the next morning in his hotel room with physical evidence suggesting sexual intercourse had occurred.

The allegations extend to a more recent incident in April 2024, five years after she stopped working for Swalwell. At a charity event where Swalwell was being honored, the pair reconnected. After drinks, she again became heavily intoxicated. According to text messages reviewed by the Chronicle, she later told a friend she had been sexually assaulted, writing that she remembered pushing Swalwell away and telling him “no.”

The fallout has been swift and severe within Democratic circles. Democratic strategist Bhavik Lathia called the allegations “damning” and urged Swalwell to “immediately drop out” of the gubernatorial race. Former San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, another Democratic gubernatorial candidate, also called for Swalwell’s withdrawal, saying: “To the survivor who risked everything to come forward – I believe you.”

Perhaps most notably, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), a longtime Swalwell ally who initially defended him, reversed course after the Chronicle’s report, stating: “I regret having come to his defense on social media prior to knowing all the information. I am equally as shocked and upset about what has transpired.” Gallego announced he was immediately withdrawing his endorsement.

Swalwell’s campaign has consistently denied all allegations. At a recent press gaggle, Swalwell himself insisted the claims were “false,” specifically denying allegations about non-disclosure agreements and hush money settlements. Campaign spokesperson Micah Beasley earlier characterized the allegations as “false, outrageous rumors” spread by political opponents teaming up with “MAGA conspiracy theorists.”

The situation intensified Thursday night when Swalwell’s attorney, Elias Dabaie, sent cease-and-desist letters to individuals who had been amplifying the allegations online. Critics, including nonprofit director Cheyenne Hunt, who has been advocating for the alleged victims, characterized this as an attempt to silence women coming forward.

The timing of these allegations is particularly significant, coming just 27 days before California’s primary election begins. Swalwell has been considered a frontrunner in the crowded Democratic field to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.

The alleged victim told the Chronicle she decided to come forward because “people have a right to know whether the person who leads a state that is a safe haven for so many women actually treats women with dignity and will protect their rights.” She added, “No one protected me from him, and so I have to protect the other young women like me who aspire to work in this field and he could prey upon.”