N.Y. prosecutors investigate sexual assault allegations against Eric Swalwell
Prosecutors in New York City are investigating sexual assault allegations involving Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, according to confirmation from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed to CBS News on Sunday that it was investigating the allegations and asked survivors and those with relevant information to contact the office. In a statement, a spokesperson said, “Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators, and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”
The allegations have already roiled the political landscape, particularly in California’s governor’s race. Prosecutors are now stepping in as the scandal that’s upended that race continues to grow. The allegations were first reported Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle, which published a story detailing a former staffer’s alleged encounters with Swalwell in California and in New York. Misryoum newsroom reported that CNN first covered the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigation.
The former employee, who was tied to Swalwell’s district office in Castro Valley, alleged that he began pursuing her shortly after she was hired. She was not named by the Chronicle. The account says Swalwell allegedly sent inappropriate photos of himself via Snapchat, requested nude photos, and asked her to perform oral sex on him in a parking lot. It also says that after going out for drinks in September 2019, she woke up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed with little recollection of the night.
Five years later, in 2024, after she no longer worked for Swalwell, she said she met him for drinks after a charity gala in New York. She alleged she became intoxicated and could only remember pieces of the evening, including allegedly pushing him away and telling him “no” while he forced himself on her. She said she woke up the next morning with vaginal bleeding and bruises. The Chronicle said it reviewed texts the woman sent to a friend three days after the alleged incident, in which she wrote she was “sexually assaulted” by Swalwell.
Swalwell denied the allegations and said they were untrue, framing them as politically timed. “These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor,” Swalwell said in a statement. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women.” He added: “My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.” He also threatened to take legal action against the woman.
The response from lawmakers has been fast. In a statement Friday night, House Democratic leaders called for a “swift investigation” into the allegations and for Swalwell to immediately end his campaign. They asked for accountability, but stopped short of urging him to resign from Congress. “This is unacceptable of anyone — certainly not an elected official — and must be taken seriously,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California said. “All perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment must be held accountable.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, has announced plans to force a vote to expel Swalwell over the allegations, with a vote potentially as soon as midweek. The political fallout is rippling across Capitol Hill, and it is teeing up a fight that could directly impact the makeup of the House heading into the midterm elections. And somewhere in the background—maybe it’s just the sound of phones buzzing in a hallway—everybody seems to be moving faster than they usually do.