Senior Staff Denounce Eric Swalwell Amid Assault Claims
Eric Swalwell senior staff denounce campaign
Senior staff members from Representative Eric Swalwell’s 14th Congressional District office and his 2026 gubernatorial campaign issued an extraordinary joint statement on Saturday denouncing the congressman following high-profile allegations of sexual misconduct. The leadership teams described themselves as “horrified” by the reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN which detailed accusations of sexual assault against a former staffer.
In their statement, the senior aides emphasized that they stand with their former colleague and other women who have come forward, labeling the alleged behavior as “abhorrent” and a betrayal of the public trust. This internal revolt marks a significant escalation in the crisis surrounding the California Democrat as his bid for governor appears to be collapsing less than two months before the June primary. For more context on the specific accusations, you can review the San Francisco Chronicle’s report on the sexual assault allegations.
The fallout from the allegations has extended beyond public denunciations to include high-level resignations and the loss of critical political support. U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez, who served as the chair of Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign, resigned from his post on Friday and joined a growing chorus of Democrats calling for Swalwell to exit the race. Gomez described the accusations as the “ugliest and most serious imaginable,” stating that his involvement in any campaign is predicated on trust.
Major organizations, including the California Teachers Association, have also moved quickly to rescind their endorsements, citing the disturbing nature of the claims. Despite the staff’s public condemnation, the senior leaders clarified that their decision to remain in their roles temporarily is a matter of providing stability for the junior staff and constituents rather than an endorsement of the congressman. You can track the list of withdrawn endorsements via our California political tracking portal.
In response to the mounting pressure, Eric Swalwell has released a direct-to-camera video denying the sexual assault allegations while admitting to “mistakes in judgment” in his past. He vowed to fight the claims even as a criminal inquiry was launched by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to investigate the specific details of a 2019 hotel incident.
The legal and political pressure has created a significant opening for other Democratic contenders, such as Katie Porter and Tom Steyer, who are now gaining momentum in the crowded field. On the federal level, Representative Anna Paulina Luna has indicated plans to force a House vote to expel Swalwell from Congress following the latest developments. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on the Islamabad peace talks where Vice President JD Vance is currently representing the United States in separate high-stakes negotiations. For the latest updates on the criminal probe, visit the Washington Post’s coverage of the Manhattan DA investigation.
