Updated April 12, 2026 / 9:20 PM EDT — CBS News
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is investigating allegations of sexual assault made against Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California and is asking survivors or anyone with information to contact the office. A spokesperson said specially trained prosecutors, investigators and counselors are available to provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered support.
The allegations were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, and CNN reported the Manhattan DA had opened an investigation. The Chronicle published claims by a former staffer from Swalwell’s Castro Valley district office. According to that report, the woman says Swalwell began pursuing her shortly after she was hired, sent inappropriate images via Snapchat, requested nude photos and asked her to perform oral sex in a parking lot. She also alleges that after drinks in September 2019 she woke up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed with little memory of the night.
The woman further alleges that after she left his staff, following a charity gala in New York in 2024 she met Swalwell for drinks, became intoxicated, remembers only parts of the evening, pushed him away and said “no” while he forced himself on her, and woke the next morning with vaginal bleeding and bruises. The Chronicle reported it reviewed texts she sent to a friend three days after the alleged 2024 incident in which she wrote she was “sexually assaulted.”
After the reports surfaced, Swalwell suspended his campaign for governor of California and denied the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. In a statement he highlighted his nearly 20 years of public service as a prosecutor and congressman, said he has always protected women, and said he will focus on his family while defending his record. He also said he was considering legal action against the woman.
House Democratic leaders urged a swift investigation and said the allegations are unacceptable and must be taken seriously, while stopping short of calling for Swalwell’s resignation from Congress. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna announced plans to force a floor vote to expel Swalwell; such a vote could be scheduled as soon as midweek, potentially affecting House dynamics ahead of the midterm elections.
Multiple reporters contributed to this report.