Sen Gallego calls Swalwell ‘unfit’ for Congress amid sexual assault allegations
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One of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-Calif.) closest friends in Congress is putting distance between himself and the lawmaker, claiming he had no idea about the bombshell sexual assault allegations against the former gubernatorial candidate.
Sen. D-Ariz. “I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell,” Ruben Gallego said in a statement.
“The women who came forward showed courage,” she continued. “They deserve to be believed, supported and to receive justice.”
REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY PLANS A PROPOSAL TO REMOVE SWALWWW FROM CONGRESS OVER SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., paid a high price for his vote to prevent a partial government shutdown: He fired White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Gallego’s turn toward Swalwell came just minutes before the legislator announced he was resigning from Congress.
He had already withdrawn Swalwell’s invalid bid for governor shortly after the publication of the bombshell San Francisco Chronicle report and backed a push to expel him from the lower chamber, saying the lawmaker was “no longer qualified to be a member of Congress.”
It’s the culmination of a rapid comeback for Gallego, who has signaled his desire to run for president in 2028 and was once described by Swalwell as his “best friend in the world.”
The two had been friends since Gallego’s time in the House, and both had come under fire over photos of the pair riding camels topless in Qatar as part of a private trip in 2021. And just a few days ago, Gallego defended Swalwell online.
PELOSI, CALIFORNIA DEFENDING BOMB SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS: ‘INDEFENSIBLE’
Representative Eric Swalwell speaks at a press conference on committee assignments for the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol on January 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“When you’re in first place, that’s when they target you,” Gallego said on X. “Eric is a fighter and will win the Governor’s race.”
Now Gallego has said he doesn’t recognize his once close friend.
“I trusted someone I believed to be a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew,” Gallego said.
ERIC SWALWELL LEAVES CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RACE, APOLOGIZES FOR PAST DECISION WHILE DENIES ALLEGATIONS
Then Representative. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., during a 2021 trip to Qatar funded by the U.S.-Qatar Business Council Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif. and are seen with their wives. (Tucker Carlson Tonight/Fox News)
Swalwell resigned from the House Monday night after ending his gubernatorial campaign in California; It was a move spurred by the San Francisco Chronicle’s report detailing sexual assault allegations against him.
He currently faces allegations of sexual assault and misconduct by a former employee and three other women.
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In Parliament, Swalwell faced pressure from colleagues to resign. This comes as the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation against him and as the campaign to expel him and others from the chamber gathers pace.
“I am aware of efforts to seek immediate expulsion against me and other members. It is wrong to expel anyone in Congress without due process within days of an allegation being made,” Swalwell said in a statement. he said. “But it is also wrong for my constituents to remove me from my duties. That’s why I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
