A former staffer for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who’s running to be California’s next governor, claimed the politician sexually assaulted her, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The woman, who worked for Swalwell for nearly two years in his Castro Valley district office, claimed she had “sexual encounters” with him while he was her boss. She also claimed that Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice when she was intoxicated, the paper said.

The woman claimed Swalwell messaged her on Snapchat, “sending images of his genitals and seeking nude pictures of her in return.” The report continued, saying, “Swalwell, who is married and 17 years her senior, tried to kiss her in her car when she drove him home from a donor meeting one night.”

“Driving him to another event weeks later, she said Swalwell pulled out his penis in the car and asked her to perform oral sex on him,” the report said. “She said she did so in a parking lot. In September 2019, the woman said, Swalwell invited her out for drinks and she became so severely intoxicated that she does not remember the rest of the night. She said she woke up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed and could feel the effect of vaginal intercourse. She said Swalwell distanced himself from her afterward and the relationship faded.”

Swalwell provided a statement to the Chronicle on Friday:

These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor. For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”

Swalwell’s attorney sent the accuser a cease-and-desist letter on Thursday, saying she had “made false statements accusing Mr. Swalwell of sexual assault and nonconsensual sexual encounter.” He threatened to sue her if she did not retract her allegations, the report said.

This isn’t the first controversy for Swalwell. The Washington Post reported in March that FBI Director Kash Patel was “pressing to release a decade-old investigative file” involving Swalwell “and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative,” despite a lack of evidence.

Swalwell hit back in an interview, saying, “The air was cleared immediately by the FBI when there was even a suggestion of wrongdoing,” and that Patel was dealing with only “lies and bullshit.”

The repercussions have been swift, with members of senior leadership abruptly resigning from Swalwell’s campaign following the allegations, Politico reported.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!