Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) Image posted 022525 by Congressman Eric SwalwellFacebook
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office opened an investigation after reports accused Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat and gubernatorial candidate, of sexual misconduct. The office also urged anyone with information to contact its Special Victims Division.
CNN reported that four women accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including a former staffer who alleged he raped her in 2024 after she became heavily intoxicated in New York City. The same woman also accused Swalwell of a separate nonconsensual encounter in 2019 while she worked in his district office.
Swalwell denied the accusations in a video posted to Instagram, saying, “Hear it directly from me. These allegations are false and I will fight them.” He also said the timing was political, coming just weeks before California’s June primary.
The allegations quickly shook California’s governor’s race. Sen. Adam Schiff and major labor allies withdrew support, while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a thorough investigation. Swalwell also canceled campaign events as pressure grew for him to leave the race.
Prosecutors are focusing on the New York incident, and Swalwell remains in the race under California’s top-two primary system, where the top two finishers advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Swalwell has also faced unrelated political scrutiny, including past questions tied to declassified FBI records and leak allegations.