Washington — Top House Democrats on Friday urged Rep. Eric Swalwell to withdraw from the California governor’s race after a former staffer told the San Francisco Chronicle that he sexually assaulted her. Swalwell has denied the allegations, calling them “false,” and said he will fight them and consider legal action.
In a statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said the accusations “must be taken seriously,” called for a “swift investigation,” and asked Swalwell to immediately end his campaign. The leaders stopped short of asking him to resign from Congress.
The woman, who was not named in the report, told the Chronicle that Swalwell began pursuing her after she was hired in his Castro Valley district office in 2019. She alleged he sent inappropriate photos via Snapchat, asked for nude photos, and requested oral sex in a parking lot. She said that after drinking with Swalwell in September 2019 she woke up naked in his hotel bed with little recollection of the night.
She also described a separate 2024 incident after she no longer worked for Swalwell. She said she met him for drinks after a charity gala in New York, became intoxicated, and remembers pushing him away and saying “no” while he forced himself on her. She said she woke the next morning with vaginal bleeding and bruises. The Chronicle reported it reviewed text messages the woman sent to a friend three days after the alleged 2024 encounter in which she wrote she had been “sexually assaulted.” The woman told the paper she had earlier convinced herself she was an equal participant in the 2019 encounter despite blacking out.
The Chronicle also spoke with the man who was the woman’s boyfriend at the time of the 2024 incident; he said he urged her to report Swalwell to police but she did not, citing that she had showered and feared an exam would not find evidence.
Swalwell posted a follow-up video Friday saying he would “fight the allegations with everything that I have.” He denied the claims, said they came “on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor,” and vowed to defend his record and focus on his family. He acknowledged having “made mistakes in judgment,” apologized to his wife, and threatened legal action against the woman.
Several Democrats who had supported Swalwell withdrew endorsements and ties to his campaign. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a campaign chair for Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid, called the reports “shocking” and urged Swalwell to leave the race “so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay,” saying he was cutting ties. Sens. Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff, and Rep. Ted Lieu, also withdrew their endorsements. “What is described is indefensible,” Gallego said, adding that women who come forward deserve to be heard. Schiff said he was “deeply distressed” and called on Swalwell to withdraw.
Rep. Robert Garcia said Swalwell “must leave the Governor’s race immediately.” Sen. Alex Padilla said Swalwell should step aside “to ensure a full, transparent investigation free from undue influence.” Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the matter “must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability” and that the inquiry is “best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.” The California Teachers Association described the allegations as “incredibly disturbing and unacceptable.”
House Democratic leaders’ call for Swalwell to end his campaign came as party members grappled with the allegations and their implications for the upcoming election. Officials emphasized the need for a prompt and thorough investigation while some withheld pushing for his resignation from Congress pending further steps.