Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell on Sunday dropped his bid for governor of California days after a former aide accused him of sexually assaulting her.
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“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell said in a post on X. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
His statement follows a torrent of criticism from both sides of the aisle following a San Francisco Chronicle article published Friday in which the former staffer alleged she had sexual encounters with the congressman while working in his office and that he sexually assaulted her twice while she was too intoxicated to consent. NBC News has not verified her allegations but confirmed her identity and that she worked for Swalwell from 2019 until 2021.
The Chronicle says it corroborated the former staffer’s story by reviewing text messages she sent to a friend three days after one of the alleged encounters, with the woman saying in a text that she told Swalwell to stop. The paper also interviewed her boyfriend at the time, who confirmed she told him about the alleged assault. Additionally, the paper’s reporters viewed medical records that showed she sought pregnancy and STD tests afterward.
Swalwell told the Chronicle in a statement that the woman’s allegations were “false.”
CNN later reported on sexual misconduct allegations against Swalwell from four women, including one whose story matched details from the Chronicle article. One of the women, Democratic influencer Ally Sammarco, said Swalwell sent her unsolicited photos of his penis.
The news outlet said it corroborated the women’s accounts through interviews with family members and friends, in addition to reviewing messages Swalwell exchanged with the women. NBC News has not independently corroborated their stories.
Swalwell later posted a video to social media saying “these allegations of sexual assault are flat false.”
“They did not happen, they have never happened. And I will fight them with everything I have,” Swalwell said in the video.
Still, Swalwell faced immediate calls from fellow Democrats to drop out of the race, including Reps. Jimmy Gomez and Adam Gray of California, the co-chairs of his campaign.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who has been a close ally to Swalwell, said in a statement Friday that the allegations “must be respected and heard.”
“This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability,” the former speaker said. “As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.”
Democrats outside of California also urged Swalwell to drop his bid. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said he was retracting his endorsement of Swalwell, writing in a social media post that he read the Chronicle’s reporting and “takes it seriously.”
Fifty-five former congressional and campaign staffers who worked for Swalwell on Sunday signed a public letter calling on him to drop his gubernatorial bid and resign from the House. They also urged law enforcement to open an investigation into the allegations from the former staffer who alleged he sexually assaulted her twice, saying, “No one is above the law.”
“We stand unequivocally with our colleague, who showed extraordinary courage in coming forward to share her truth. We believe her,” the letter read.
On Saturday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed to NBC News that they were launching an investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Swalwell.
The primary election for governor of California is June 2, with early voting set to begin May 4.
Swalwell has been near the top of every recent poll in the gubernatorial primary, often as the best-performing Democrat. But he and several other Democratic contenders, including billionaire Tom Steyer and former Rep. Katie Porter, have been locked in close competition.
All candidates run on the same primary ballot regardless of party in California, with the top two finishers advancing to the general election. Some Democrats have been concerned in recent weeks about the possibility of a split in the crowded field, allowing two Republicans to grab the general election slots. But President Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of one prominent Republican, Steve Hilton, changed the calculus.
Swalwell, who has served in Congress since 2013, has been a vocal critic of Trump’s and served as one of the Democrats’ nine impeachment prosecutors during the president’s trial following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
The congressman was the subject of a two-year investigation looking into his ties to a 2014 campaign volunteer, Christina Fang, who later was suspected to be a Chinese spy. The House Ethics Committee took no action against Swalwell after that investigation and he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Since Friday’s allegations, the California congressman has also faced calls for his resignation or expulsion from the House. On Saturday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed to NBC News that they were launching an investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Swalwell.
On Sunday, Rep Ro. Khanna, D-Calif., told Fox News, “I believe that he should resign,” adding that he’s also calling for a law enforcement investigation and a House Ethics investigation into Swalwell.
Two other California Democratic lawmakers — Reps. Sam Liccardo and Jared Huffman also called for Swalwell to resign from the House on Saturday.
“I’ve seen enough. With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate. He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who admitted to the same violation, should also resign. If they don’t, I will support voting to expel both of them,” Huffman said in a post on X.
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, has been accused of exchanging sexually explicit messages with two former staffers, including one who committed suicide. On a podcast in March, Gonzales admitted that he’d had an affair with a staffer, saying, “I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment. And there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions. He added that he’d “reconciled” with his wife.
“Swalwell must halt his campaign, resign from office, and face the consequences of a full investigation. Democrats must not equivocate in the face of uncomfortable allegations about one of our own,” Liccardo wrote in a separate X post.
On Saturday, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., in a post on X vowed to bring a motion to the House floor to expel Swalwell. It would need a two-thirds vote in favor to pass.
Several House members, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., have signaled openness to the idea of expelling Swalwell alongside GOP lawmakers who have faced sexual misconduct allegations, like Gonzales. like
Asked Sunday if she’d vote to expel Swalwell, Jayapal told NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” “And Congressman Gonzales, I would, I’ve already said that.”
Appearing earlier on the program, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., also said he’d vote to expel Gonzales and Swalwell.
“As far as I’m concerned, both gentlemen need to go home,” Donalds said.
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