Swalwell Campaign Bleeds Leadership After New Sexual Assault Allegation

Swalwell Campaign Bleeds Leadership After New Sexual Assault Allegation

Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) gubernatorial campaign has started to implode after an ex-staffer accused him of sexual assault.

The accusation comes after Democratic attorney Cheyenne Hunt, a former Swalwell staffer, posted on X about numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and non-disclosure agreement abuse.

The San Francisco Chronicle did not name the former staffer. Instead of summarizing, I’m just going to copy and paste because whoa:

The woman said Swalwell began pursuing her within weeks after she was hired at age 21 to work in the Democrat’s district office in Castro Valley in 2019. Swalwell messaged her on Snapchat, she said, sending images of his genitals and seeking nude pictures of her in return.

She said Swalwell, who is married and 17 years her senior, tried to kiss her in her car when she drove him home from a donor meeting one night. Driving him to another event weeks later, she said Swalwell pulled out his penis in the car and asked her to perform oral sex on him. She said she did so in a parking lot.

In September 2019, the woman said, Swalwell invited her out for drinks and she became so severely intoxicated that she does not remember the rest of the night. She said she woke up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed and could feel the effect of vaginal intercourse. She said Swalwell distanced himself from her afterward and the relationship faded.

Five years later, the woman said, she attended an April 2024 charity gala where Swalwell was honored. The woman, who no longer worked for Swalwell, said they met for drinks afterward, during which she became so inebriated that she only remembers snippets of the night, including pushing Swalwell away and telling him, “No,” while he allegedly forced himself on her.

The woman texted a friend three days later that she was “sexually assaulted” by Swalwell. She wrote in a series of messages reviewed by the Chronicle that she had “blacked out” but “woke up once during it and even told him to stop at one point.”

“This happened one other time when I was working with him, but I convinced myself I was an equal party in it even though same pattern: I blacked out and he had sex with me,” she wrote, referring to the 2019 incident.

Swalwell denied the allegations and threatened to take legal action.

“These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor,” Swalwell stated, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”

The California Teachers Association dropped its support for Swalwell.

“We are immediately suspending our support,” said TCA President David Goldberg, the group’s president, according to The New York Times. “Our elected board will be meeting as soon as possible to follow our union’s democratic process to determine next steps.”

Swalwell might lose the California Medical Association, which has “convened an emergency meeting” of its board.

Politico reported that four people have resigned from Swalwell’s campaign so far.

The publication only named Courtni Pugh, a strategic advisor, as one of those who resigned. She confirmed the resignation but did not elaborate.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), who served as campaign chairman, announced on X that he stepped down.

Gomez said Swalwell “should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay.”

Los Angeles, CA – Rep. Jimmy Gomez statement following the release of a San Francisco Chronicle story: pic.twitter.com/WOm4dn7zVT

— Jimmy Gomez (@JimmyGomezCA) April 10, 2026

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