Former Biden HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra was confronted at a debate over his comments about having heard “rumors” about Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) before multiple women came forward with complaints.

Swalwell exited the race under a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations, including claims of sexual assault.

Two GOP candidates — Ex-Fox Newser Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — took the stage with four Democrats: Porter, billionaire Tom Steyer, Becerra, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

The Nexstar debate was moderated by anchors Nikki Laurenzo of FOX40 and Frank Buckley of KTLA 5.

Laurenzo asked Becerra to explain comments he made in a CNN interview.

“I think many of us had heard the rumors as well. Never seen any corroboration. But, certainly, I think that the word had gone out. Look, these are public servants,” Becerra said. “They should know they’re going to be held accountable. So, one way or the other, the facts are going to come forward. And they should. There are a lot of survivors who have now come forward. They deserve the truth.”

Laurenzo asked Becerra if he should have acted when he heard the rumors:

NIKKI LAURENZO: Mr. Becerra, you were chair of the Democratic caucus when Eric Swalwell was elected to Congress.

You said in a recent interview that, quote, “Many of us heard the rumors.”.

What rumors did you hear? And should you have pursued the rumors as a member of Democratic leadership? You have 60 seconds.

FORMER SEC. XAVIER BECERRA: Thanks, Nikki. Yeah, you hear rumors all the time about all sorts of things.

Rumors are not facts, and the Democratic caucus is not a place that adjudicates those things. It’s law enforcement that does.

If someone had come forward, we could then have investigations. I say that as the former Attorney General for the state of California.

When I was Attorney General, we did go after sex trafficking. We did go to those who abuse of young women and take advantage of them. We did prosecute people.

There was an individual who was a religious leader who was taking advantage of young women, we prosecuted that individual. Today he is in jail for his crimes.

We have gone after people, but we go after them based on evidence and based on facts.

Unfortunately, we have a president today who would go after someone based on rumors. That’s not the way we do it in America. We have to have the facts.

Rumors are one thing, but getting the facts really gets you to move.

And let me just applaud those courageous survivors who stood up and told America what the truth was. And today Eric Swalwell is facing accountability.

Watch above via KTLA.

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