SACRAMENTO\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The fallout over allegations against Rep. Eric Swalwell grew Saturday as his fellow gubernatorial candidates faced a new race and Democrats were forced into a rapid test of how they respond to accusations of sexual misconduct.<\/p>\n
Within hours of the accusations against Swalwell <\/a>being made public, the Northern California congressman\u2019s campaign began to unravel and a chorus of top Democrats urged him to drop out. Staff members resigned, his fundraising website went offline and allies moved quickly to distance themselves from a candidate who had been gaining momentum as a front-runner in the race to lead the Golden State.<\/p>\n The repercussions extended beyond Swalwell\u2019s campaign for governor. The Manhattan district attorney\u2019s office opened an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Swalwell by a former staffer and issued a statement Saturday that urged \u201csurvivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division<\/a>.\u201d Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) posted a video on X<\/a> saying that she plans to force a House vote next week to expel Swalwell.<\/p>\n Swalwell has denied the allegations, calling them \u201cflat [out] false.\u201d<\/p>\n The upheaval has created an opening for lesser-known contenders to gain traction just as voters are beginning to turn their attention to the race \u2014 a spotlight now intensified by the controversy.<\/p>\n The speed and severity of the response underscores how quickly political support can erode \u2014 and reflects a broader shift in how such allegations are handled in the post-#MeToo era, which has been intensified by the scrutiny surrounding the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n \u201cAsk any woman staffer over the age of 45 what her experience was like, and this was a fairly prevalent sort of situation,\u201d said Elizabeth Ashford, a veteran Democratic strategist. \u201cIt was allowed. I really think it shows a lot of growth on the part of political professionalism, that these things are taken seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n As of Saturday afternoon, Swalwell ignored calls to drop out of the race and resign from Congress, even as outrage and criticism swelled. A Bay Area fundraiser was canceled and major institutional backers abandoned the campaign. The California Labor Federation withdrew its endorsement, SEIU California rescinded its backing and urged Swalwell to exit the race, and the California Police Chiefs Assn. suspended its support.<\/p>\n Speculation swirled Saturday about Swalwell\u2019s whereabouts after the congressman announced that he intended to spend time with his wife. <\/p>\n A man who opened the door of Swalwell\u2019s rental home in Livermore early Saturday refused to talk to a Times reporter. Swalwell has claimed that he rents space in the one-story house, located on a quiet cul-de-sac. He also owns a home in Washington, D.C., but no one inside responded when a reporter rang Saturday.<\/p>\n Livermore residents couldn\u2019t escape news of the scandal. \u201cSwalwell faces assault claims,\u201d read the front page of the East Bay Times, stacked up at the Lucky grocery story around the corner from Swalwell\u2019s rental home.<\/p>\n The most serious allegation against Swalwell is from a woman who worked for the congressman who said their relationship was at times consensual, but that he sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent, according to the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a>. Three other women have also accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including sending unsolicited nude photos, according to CNN.<\/a> <\/p>\n The allegations prompted several members of his campaign to abruptly walk away from their jobs. One senior campaign staffer said they resigned after hearing the seriousness of the allegations, adding that they didn\u2019t want to be put in a position where they were using their own credibility to defend Swalwell.<\/p>\n Former staffers in Swalwell\u2019s congressional office traded messages in group texts after the news reports, with many expressing shock and horror at the allegations, according to two former employees.<\/p>\n A group of senior staff in Swalwell\u2019s congressional office and campaign said in a statement Saturday that they \u201cstand with our former colleague and the other women who have come forward\u201d and that others \u201cshould stand with them, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Kyle Alagood, an attorney who worked for Swalwell\u2019s congressional office and his short-lived presidential campaign, told The Times he was \u201cdisgusted and pissed off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI pray he has the decency to resign for the sake of his wife and kids,\u201d said Alagood, adding that Swalwell must also \u201cface the full legal consequences of his actions.\u201d<\/p>\n Rob Stutzman, a longtime GOP strategist, said the impact of Swalwell\u2019s political advisers quitting and his endorsements being yanked has sunk his chances in the governor\u2019s race whether he stays in or not. <\/p>\n