Swalwell made 50 MS NOW, CNN appearances in 2026 alone

FIRST ON FOX — Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was one of cable news’s most visible Democrats before quickly falling from grace amid sexual misconduct allegations, making hundreds of appearances on MS NOW and CNN in recent years, 50 of them in 2026.

Swalwell, who this week suspended his California gubernatorial campaign and said he would resign from Congress following sexual assault allegations, has gained a reputation over the past decade for being extremely accessible to cable news producers. His ability to appear on the air with little notice and his positions on major House committees have made him a key presenter of talking points for the Democratic Party.

A. Media Research Center the investigation found that Swalwell appeared 26 times on MS NOW and a further 24 times on CNN in 2026 alone, with all appearances occurring between January 1 and April 10.

“Given that he’s not under party leadership, it’s surprising that there were 50 total cable news stories in just the first 14 weeks of 2026. He was averaging three to four times a week on the show,” MRC associate editor Nicholas Fondacaro told Fox News Digital.

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MS NOW and CNN were giving the governor’s hopeful significant free air time before he was dragged into scandal, but Swalwell had been a fixture for years.

First elected to the House of Representatives in 2012, Swalwell’s star rose during President Donald Trump’s first term due to his prominent role on the House Intelligence Committee and the expanding Russia investigation, where he frequently accused “collusion”.

According to Grabien data research, Swalwell’s name was mentioned more than 2,000 times, including rebroadcasts on CNN and MSNBC (now called MS NOW), from January 1, 2018, through January 20, 2021, the first time in Trump’s term. Swalwell made a brief run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination but dropped out of the race well before the Iowa caucuses.

The New York Times reported He said Swalwell’s frequent media appearances gave him credibility in the California gubernatorial race because he “had no experience in state government” and had few connections to Democratic leaders.

“What he did have was an anti-Trump media profile, polished by years of appearances on news programs that made him more familiar to voters than most of his rivals,” the Times reported. He later added: “Mr. Swalwell’s experience taking on President Trump has given him tremendous exposure—far more than a state government official can get in today’s media ecosystem.”

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Representative Eric Swalwell, California, said he will resign from Congress. (Screenshot/MS NOW)

“Swalwell was a cornerstone of liberal media throughout Trump’s first term,” Fondacaro told Fox News Digital. “Ignoring his mostly cartoonish antics, he quickly became a notable figure they would rely on for anti-Trump comments during events like the Mueller investigation and impeachments.”

“The liberal media’s love affair with Swalwell allowed him to weather the Fang Fang scandal and carried over into Trump’s second term,” Fondacaro continued. “They counted on him to take a fiery stance against Trump and his officials, both on television and in committee hearings, as he did in his first term.”

Swalwell was also captured with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang, or “Fang Fang”. The suspected operative helped raise funds for Swalwell’s 2014 House re-election campaign and placed at least one intern in his office, but the ordeal didn’t derail his steady cable news broadcasts.

Over the past week, Swalwell has gone from frequent cable news guest to the subject of scathing news over a series of sexual misconduct allegations that quickly derailed his career. The Democrat, who has denied serious wrongdoing but acknowledged “mistakes,” noted that the allegations came because he is a frontrunner in a crowded field to become the next governor of California.

MS NOW and CNN did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Rep. Eric Swalwell wears a hat to support Jimmy Kimmel during his appearance on CNN in 2025. (Screenshot/CNN)

Members of the media, meanwhile, point out that Swalwell’s behavior has been widely known in elite circles for years. Republicans question how much top Democrats and media decision-makers knew about the allegations before they became public.

“Ruthless” podcast host Josh Holmes believes the media used Swalwell until he could no longer help them.

“He’s a man in love with a corrupt leadership and press corps who know all about his exploits, as long as he’s a useful idiot. He’s become a problem for them to maintain their power, so you know that,” Holmes shared.

“The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said Monday that Swalwell’s reputation with women is an “open secret” that makes him exploitable by America’s enemies. liberal expert Posted by Matthew Yglesias he said the situation was “the subject of widespread rumors” and journalist Yaşar Ali said Democrats “have known for years.” One reporter even suggested: could not be reported some details because “MeToo stories at the top are not about my beat.”

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“This should be a cautionary tale to be skeptical of those glorified by the liberal media,” Fondacaro said.

“Svalwell’s alleged misconduct was reportedly an ‘open secret’ among the media and D.C. and LA political circles,” he added. “What else aren’t they telling voters? Who else are they protecting and will they only oppose when their political usefulness is over?”

Swalwell said in a statement Monday that he was “deeply saddened” by his family, staff and constituents, but still insisted that the allegations of sexual harassment and harassment against him were “false.”

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Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel and Adam Pack contributed to this report.