Representative Eric Swalwell is under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney for alleged sexual assault as his California gubernatorial campaign faces a collapse of institutional support and calls to exit the race.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has launched an investigation into Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) following allegations from a former staffer that he sexually assaulted her twice, including an April 2024 incident in a New York City hotel room. The allegations, first detailed by the San Francisco Chronicle and followed by a CNN report involving three additional women, have derailed Swalwell’s front-runner status in the California gubernatorial race, prompting top allies like Nancy Pelosi and Jimmy Gomez to call for his immediate withdrawal.
While Swalwell has remained defiant, stating the claims are “flat false,” “did not happen,” and that he will “fight them with everything that I have,” prominent backers such as Senator Adam Schiff and the California Teachers Association have already rescinded their support. As the June 2 primary approaches, a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office stated, “We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division,” emphasizing that their team is prepared to assist in a “trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”