For weeks, salacious talk swirled in campaign circles, ricocheted through email chains and was served up, like a buzzy side dish, over gossipy lunches from Sacramento to San Diego.
The talk revolved around Eric Swalwell, the 45-year-old congressman from the East Bay and one of the top Democratic contenders for California governor. The rumors involved allegations of inappropriate behavior with young staffers.
Pressed by rival camps, pursued by the political press corps, the claims were largely confined to unvetted corners of the internet until this week, when Swalwell’s campaign — knowing the whispers were getting louder — issued a public statement denying any wrongdoing.
The move was a prebuttal. Strategists figured it better to get out front of the chatter and address the online innuendo, even if it meant exposing the allegations to a much wider audience. The campaign’s statement was followed hours later by a categorical denial from the congressman.
“It’s false,” Swalwell told reporters Tuesday night in Sacramento. He said he never behaved inappropriately with female staff members or had a sexual relationship with any staffer or intern. There were no quiet legal settlements, he said. No hiding behind nondisclosure agreements.
Then, on Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle published a lengthy report — filled with highly specific and graphic details — quoting a woman who worked nearly two years for Swalwell, stating she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss. Twice, she alleged, he sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent.
The woman, who is 17 years younger than Swalwell, said the congressman began pursuing her within weeks of her hiring at age 21 to work in his district office in the East Bay Area. That was in 2019.
The woman said she largely kept quiet about Swalwell’s behavior out of fear she would suffer personal and professional consequences. She told the Chronicle she did not share her account with authorities because she was afraid they would not believe her. The newspaper said medical records show the woman obtained pregnancy and STD tests a week after one of the alleged assaults.
Swalwell issued another categorical denial.
“These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor,” he said in a statement, overstating somewhat his status in the neck-and-neck gubernatorial race. “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,” Swalwell said. “My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”
Hours later, CNN reported that three other women had recounted various kinds of sexual misconduct, including the congressman sending them explicit messages or nude photos.
Even before the Chronicle published its article, once the privately bandied rumors were suddenly out in the open, you could almost hear the sound of a dam bursting. Swalwell’s competitors were quick to amplify the assertions, grappling for advantage in a race that remains stubbornly knotted up.
“Very, very troubling,” said fellow Democrat Katie Porter. “Deeply troubling,” echoed Betty Yee, another of the Democratic hopefuls.
A third Democrat running, Antonio Villaraigosa, was more inventive, accusing Swalwell “of skipping town” — he did not attend a Wednesday candidate forum in Sacramento — “as more and more women come forward with sexual harassment allegations.”
At that point no one with firsthand knowledge had come forward to contradict Swalwell’s denial of wrongdoing.
But as soon as the Chronicle published its report, opponents escalated their attacks. Villaraigosa and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan were among rivals who called on Swalwell to quit the race.
California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff — one of Swalwell’s most significant backers — joined an exodus of congressional lawmakers withdrawing their support. He also urged Swalwell to abandon his campaign, saying he was deeply distressed after reading the Chronicle article.
“This woman was brave to come forward, and we should take her story seriously,” the senator said on social media.
Behind closed doors, other major Swalwell backers — including key labor unions — were reassessing their support.
It’s understandable — and probably necessary — for the congressman to retreat, as he suggested, to spent time with his wife and family.
But in light of the startling media accounts, and their damning allegations, he’ll need to do more than issue strongly worded statements or threaten legal action if he has any hopes of salvaging his gubernatorial candidacy and political career. (Swalwell gave up his congressional seat to run for governor.)
If the allegations are false, he needs to refute each and every detail in thorough, incontrovertible fashion. If they’re true, then what could Swalwell possibly have been thinking — not just forcing himself on his alleged victims, but running for governor knowing what he’d done? Was he convinced his behavior would never come to light? Did he believe that adamant denials would allow him to brazen his way through?
Swalwell has a lot of explaining to do — about his behavior, his disclaimers, his judgment.
And even though the June primary is still many weeks away, he has very little time to do so.
