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Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading Democratic candidate in the California governor’s race, is under criminal investigation after numerous women accused him of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell has denied the claims, which have rapidly upended the race and triggered calls from prominent Democrats for him to withdraw.
“They are absolutely false. They did not happen,” Swalwell said in a video posted on X late Friday. “They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have. They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the frontrunner candidate for governor in California.”
Read more: Why Democrats Are Accusing the FBI of Trying to ‘Smear’ Rep. Eric Swalwell
The lawmaker, who is married with three young children, had recently emerged as a top contender in the crowded contest to succeed California Governor Gavin Newsom, but the allegations have led to a swift political fallout, including lost endorsements, staff departures, and mounting pressure to end his campaign.
Within 24 hours of the reports, he lost all 21 endorsements from fellow Democratic members of Congress, and his campaign began scaling back fundraising and advertising efforts.
Rep. Swalwell’s office did not respond to a request for comment from TIME.
A criminal investigation in New York
Prosecutors in New York opened a criminal investigation on Saturday into an allegation that Swalwell sexually assaulted a former staffer in New York City, according to a statement from the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
"We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office said in a statement Saturday, NBC4 reported. "Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators, and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”
The allegation, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, involves an incident in 2024 in which the former staffer said she was too intoxicated to consent and that Swalwell ignored her attempts to refuse.
“I was pushing him off of me, saying no,” she told CNN. “He didn’t stop.”
She also alleged a separate incident in 2019.
Swalwell faces numerous allegations
Swalwell is facing claims from four separate women, including a former staffer who accused him of sexual assault.
The most serious accusation comes from the former staffer, who told CNN that Swalwell raped her in 2024 after a night of heavy drinking, alleging she was “heavily intoxicated,” physically injured, and repeatedly told him to stop. She described being left with bruises, cuts, and bleeding following the encounter.
The same woman also alleged a prior incident in 2019, when she said she woke up naked in a hotel room with Swalwell after drinking and had no memory of what occurred, though she believed sexual contact had taken place. She was working in his office at the time.
According to her account, their relationship included private communication on Snapchat, where she said Swalwell sent sexual messages and explicit photos, and requested similar images from her. She described feeling both flattered and uncomfortable due to his position of authority.
Three additional women described separate instances of alleged misconduct.
One said that after initially connecting with Swalwell over social media and meeting him in person, she became highly intoxicated during a night out and later found herself in his hotel room with limited memory of how she got there. She also alleged that he kissed her and touched her without consent earlier in the evening.
Two other women alleged that Swalwell sent them unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos, often via Snapchat, after initiating contact on platforms like X. Both described initially engaging with him because of his political status, but later feeling uncomfortable as the conversations became increasingly sexual.
Across the accounts, the women described a similar pattern: they said Swalwell would initiate friendly or mentorship-like communication, often with younger women interested in politics, before escalating to flirtatious or sexual messages. In some cases, they allege this escalated further into unwanted physical encounters, frequently involving alcohol.
CNN reported that it reviewed text messages, spoke with friends and family members, and examined contemporaneous accounts that corroborated key elements of the women’s stories, including messages sent shortly after the alleged incidents and medical records related to at least one claim.
At the same time, CNN also noted that some current and former staffers said they had never experienced inappropriate behavior from Swalwell, describing him as professional in the workplace.
Swalwell has denied all allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. His attorney described the claims as a coordinated effort to undermine his candidacy and said Swalwell would pursue legal action. His legal team also sent cease-and-desist letters to at least two accusers, warning of potential defamation claims if they continued to speak publicly.
What this means for the California governor’s race
The allegations have triggered a swift political backlash that has reshaped the governor’s race.
Several Democratic leaders, including Sen. Adam Schiff and House leadership, have called on Swalwell to drop out. Other prominent Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and multiple gubernatorial rivals, also urged Swalwell to end his campaign or resign from Congress.
In a Friday statement, Pelosi said she had suggested to Swalwell that he end his campaign for governor to allow for a full investigation of the allegations against him.
Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited and widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, stopped short of calling for Swalwell to withdraw. A spokesperson said the allegations are “deeply troubling” and should be taken seriously as more details emerge.
Swalwell has lost endorsements from fellow lawmakers, labor unions, and political allies, while campaign officials and staffers have resigned or distanced themselves from him. An unsigned statement from staffers on Saturday said they were “horrified” by the allegations and expressed support for the women who came forward, POLITICO reported.
“We stand with our former colleague, and the other women who have come forward,” the statement reads. “We believe you should stand with them, too. The behavior detailed in these reports is abhorrent, beneath the dignity of those serving in public office, and betrays the trust of all Californians.”
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a California Democrat who had been serving as campaign co-chair, resigned from his role and called on Swalwell to exit the race, saying the allegations undermined the trust required to continue supporting the campaign.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, also a Democratic candidate, went further, urging Swalwell to resign from Congress altogether and describing the accusations as deeply serious and disqualifying.
Major unions, including the California Teachers Association, withdrew their support, and his campaign infrastructure has begun to unravel, with fundraising halted.
“We withdraw all support,” CTA President David Goldberg said in a statement. “The disturbing allegations by multiple women cannot be ignored. Our union is proud to take action in solidarity with women who are victims of sexual violence today, and always.”
Despite the growing pressure, Swalwell has said he intends to remain in the race and defend himself against the accusations, which he maintains are untrue. In a video statement, he acknowledged making past “mistakes in judgment” but denied any nonconsensual conduct and apologized to his wife.
