Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Building last year in Washington, DC.
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The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is launching an investigation into accusations Rep. Eric Swalwell, a candidate for California governor, sexually assaulted a woman in 2019 and 2024, the office confirmed Saturday.
The investigation, which was first reported by CNN, follows accusations published by that outlet and the San Francisco Chronicle that Swalwell sexually assaulted the woman while she worked for him in 2019 and five years later; in both cases, she said she was too intoxicated to consent.
Swalwell said Friday the accusations are “absolutely false” in a video posted to social media.
It’s not clear what will be the focus of the Manhattan DA’s investigation. The office is headed by Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.
“We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division at 212-335-9373,” Bragg’s office said in a statement. “Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”
Swalwell’s campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Swalwell has faced widespread calls from top Democrats to quit the race, including from Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi and his former campaign co-chairs, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles and Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced.
On Saturday, two major labor unions that had backed Swalwell, the SEIU California and Labor Federation of California, formally rescinded their endorsements. SEIU California in a statement also urged Swalwell to drop out of the governor’s race.
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Ben Paviour is the California political power reporter for The Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Bureau. He previously covered Virginia state politics for public radio and was a local investigations fellow at The New York Times. He got his start in journalism at the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. Before becoming a reporter, he worked in local government and tech in the Bay Area.