California Congressman Eric Swalwell sought to contain the most serious political crisis of his career by directly denying sexual assault allegations on camera Friday night, posting a video statement just before 8pm PT, as new accusations surface in a spectacular fall that disrupted California’s gubernatorial race.
“A lot has been said about me today through anonymous allegations,” Swalwell said in a video posted to Instagram. “These sexual assault allegations are completely false. Absolutely false. They didn’t happen. They never happened. I will fight them with everything in my power.”
Swalwell said the accusations were politically timed, noting that they arrived “on the eve of an election where I am the front-runner for governor of California.”
The statement came a day after the cascading political damage caused by the incident. san francisco chronicle In the report, a former Swalwell staffer accused the congressman of sexually assaulting her twice while she was too drunk to consent. She said it happened once in 2019 when she blacked out after drinking and woke up naked in his hotel bed, and again in 2024 after a charity gala in New York where she said he repeatedly said “no.”
By Friday evening, the scandal had expanded beyond initial explanation. CNN reported More women have come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct, including allegations that Mr. Swalwell sent unsolicited explicit messages and engaged in unwanted sexual acts, which Mr. Swalwell also denied.
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“For more than 20 years, I have served the public as a City Council member, a member of Congress, and as a prosecutor in court on behalf of victims, especially victims of sexual assault,” Swalwell said in the video. “That’s who I am and always have been.”
The political fallout was swift and devastating. The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, one of Mr. Swalwell’s most influential backers, said through Mr. Swalwell’s spokeswoman Ian Crager that whistleblowers “need to be respected and heard,” and that accountability “is best done outside of the gubernatorial race.”
U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, calling on his California colleagues to withdraw, declared that Swalwell “must withdraw from the gubernatorial race immediately.” Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla have also withdrawn their support, and support from campaign supporters and Labor allies is beginning to fade.
Destruction also reached Swalwell’s East Bay base. Mike Kusiak, a Castro Valley Unified School District board member and longtime ally of Mr. Swalwell, publicly urged him to “cease his campaign and resign from Congress.”
In the video, Swalwell acknowledged personal failings. “I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in the past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife,” he said. “And to her, I am deeply sorry for putting her in this position.”
Swalwell did not say whether he would remain in the race. He concluded by promising to update again soon.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
