California: Eric Swalwell staffers quit after new sexual assault allegations | California
California gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell’s campaign took a major hit Friday; Many staffers resigned and prominent political leaders withdrew their support following allegations of past sexual harassment.
San Francisco Chronicle published an account A woman who said she was sexually assaulted by Swalwell on two separate occasions.
The woman said she was a former staffer of congressman Swalwell, who has represented the East Bay district since 2013. The woman, who the newspaper did not name, said she had sexual intercourse with Swalwell while he was her boss and claimed Swalwell sexually assaulted her while she was too drunk to consent. The Guardian has not independently verified the allegations.
Swalwell said: “I have served the public as a prosecutor and congressman for nearly 20 years and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the truth and take legal action when necessary. My focus in the coming days is to be there for my wife and children and to defend the service we have provided for decades against these lies.”
Three other women also alleged sexual harassment by the Democratic congressman in interviews with CNN. Swalwell also denied these allegations.
Swalwell’s campaign did not respond to the Guardian’s questions.
The reports come days after posts spread on social media claiming that several women would go public with accounts of inappropriate behavior they experienced at Swalwell.
In a speech at a town hall in Sacramento earlier this week, Swalwell dismissed the online rhetoric as “inaccurate” and suggested the posts were deliberately timed to derail his campaign.
Swalwell was the frontrunner in the crowded Democratic race to replace Gavin Newsom.
He became a fierce opponent of Donald Trump on cable news broadcasts.
Three campaign staffers, including former adviser Courtni Pugh, approved He told Politico they are quitting Swalwell’s campaign.
California senator Adam Schiff, one of the most prominent members of Congress to support Swalwell, said Friday he was immediately rescinding his endorsement and urged him to drop out of the race.
Arizona senator Ruben Gallego, a personal friend of Swalwell’s who defended the congressman against allegations that circulated online days earlier, also withdrew his endorsement.
“What has been announced is indefensible. Women who come forward with such statements deserve to be listened to respectfully, not questioned or rejected,” Gallego said in a statement on Friday. Gallego added that he regretted coming to Swalwell’s defense “without knowing all the information.”
Antonio Villaraigosa, the former speaker of the California state legislature and his Democratic rival in the governor’s race, called on Swalwell to exit the governor’s race and withdraw from Congress.
“Eric Swalwell’s attempt to silence victims to save his gubernatorial campaign — a campaign in which he is unfit to participate, given these allegations — is a shameful embarrassment to our democracy,” Villaraigosa said.
