Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is facing escalating accusations as multiple women have come forward alleging sexual misconduct, including a former staffer who claims she was raped.
The allegations come at a critical moment for Swalwell, who has been positioning himself as a leading candidate in California’s gubernatorial race.
A former staffer told CNN that Swalwell assaulted her in 2024 after a night of drinking in New York.
“I was pushing him off of me, saying no… He didn’t stop,” she said, describing the alleged incident.
She claimed she later woke up in his hotel room, confused, with bruises, cuts, and bleeding, and sought medical testing shortly after.
The same woman also alleged a separate incident in 2019.
She said she woke up naked in a hotel room with Swalwell after drinking heavily and had no memory of what happened.
“I really don’t remember it at all,” she recalled telling him at the time.
The accuser said she did not report the incidents when they occurred.
“I just felt so dirty and gross… it just became a secret that I lived with,” she said.
Three other women have also come forward with separate allegations of misconduct.
Some claimed Swalwell sent unsolicited explicit messages and images through social media platforms like Snapchat.
One woman said she initially connected with him over politics before their interactions became increasingly personal and sexual.
Another woman described becoming heavily intoxicated during a night out with Swalwell and later ending up in his hotel room with limited memory of the events.
“He was sitting against me, and every time that I would move away from him, he would get closer,” she said.
Several accusers described what they viewed as a pattern of behavior.
They alleged that Swalwell would show interest in younger women before interactions escalated in a sexual direction, per the Conservative Brief.
CNN reported it reviewed messages, photos, and supporting materials tied to the claims.
Friends and family members of multiple accusers also said the women told them about the incidents around the time they allegedly occurred.
In one case, the former staffer shared text messages sent shortly after the alleged 2024 incident, identifying Swalwell and stating she had been assaulted.
Swalwell has denied all allegations.
“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false,” he said in a statement.
He added that the claims “did not happen” and vowed to fight them.
Swalwell has also suggested the timing is politically motivated, noting the allegations surfaced “on the eve of an election.”
His legal team has taken action as well.
An attorney representing Swalwell sent cease-and-desist letters to two of the women, demanding retractions and warning of potential legal consequences.
Despite the accusations, some former staffers have defended him.
They told CNN they never experienced inappropriate behavior and described him as professional in the workplace.
