California Representative Eric Swalwell has strongly denied sexual misconduct and rape allegations made against him by four women, including a former staffer. He released a one-minute video on social media calling the claims “absolutely false” and saying these incidents “did not happen” and “have never happened.” He promised to fight the allegations “with everything I have.”
According to CNN, a former staffer who interned for Swalwell in 2019, when she was 20, claims he raped her in April 2024 when she was heavily intoxicated, leaving her bruised and bleeding. She described pushing him off and repeatedly saying no, but he “didn’t stop.”
She also alleged a second non-consensual encounter in 2019, while still working for him, when she woke up naked in his hotel room with no memory of what happened but a physical sense that they had been sexually intimate.
The women describe a pattern of heavy drinking, hotel rooms, and unwanted contact that is hard to ignore
The woman said her time with Swalwell began positively. She joined his campaign because of his work on gun control and recalled him making her feel “like the coolest person in the room.” She says this attention soon shifted to Snapchat, where he allegedly sent sexual comments, photos of his penis, and shirtless images, and asked her to send nude photos, which she did. She found the attention flattering but also felt nervous because he was her boss.
In 2019, while driving Swalwell around his district, she claims he asked her to stop in a parking lot, exposed himself, and asked for oral sex. She briefly complied before telling him she was uncomfortable. He reportedly said, “You’re right, it’s probably not good for a congressman to be caught with his pants down.”
Later that year, she said she woke up naked in his hotel room after a night of heavy drinking, with no memory of the encounter. Swalwell told her “last night was great” and that she should leave. He then ignored her at a public event, treating her “like someone who he had never seen before in his life,” while being friendlier on Snapchat.
When she told him she didn’t remember the encounter, he allegedly replied, “Well, next time, we have to make sure you remember it.” Regarding the alleged 2024 assault in New York City, she says she met Swalwell for drinks after a gala where he was speaking.
Over the course of the night, she became heavily intoxicated. She recalled “flashes of that evening, of him on top of me, me pushing him off, him grabbing me,” and stated, “I was pushing him off of me, saying no. He didn’t stop.”
She woke up alone, bleeding, with cuts and bruises on her rib cage and legs. She immediately called her mother, who confirmed her account. She later visited a health clinic for STD and pregnancy testing, where her provider referred to her as “a survivor.”
Three other women have also come forward. One woman, who connected with Swalwell online over Democratic politics in 2025, says she ended up heavily intoxicated in his hotel room with little memory of what happened, having left at 5:41 AM according to an Uber receipt.
Another social media creator, Ally Sammarco, said Swalwell contacted her on X in August 2021 and “became very inappropriate,” telling her “how hot he thought I was” and sending unsolicited photos of his penis. A fourth woman, who works in marketing, said Swalwell first contacted her on X in April 2021 and sent her several unsolicited videos of his penis over four years of on-and-off messaging. She said the experience made her feel “lesser than a person.”
Corroboration for key elements of the women’s claims has emerged. For the former staffer, two family members and a friend confirmed she told them about the alleged 2024 assault shortly after it happened. One text message she sent at the time explicitly stated, “I was sexually assaulted on Thursday,” and “By Eric.”
Medical records related to testing after the alleged assault were also provided. For the other women, friends and family members confirmed they were told about the incidents when they occurred, and messages between them and Swalwell were reviewed.
According to the NY Post, Swalwell denied all the allegations, calling them “false” and noting their timing “on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor.” These allegations come as Swalwell has been running for California governor with bold policy promises, including his stated plans for handling ICE agents in the state.
He also apologized to his wife, Brittany Watts, for “mistakes in judgment in my past,” while clarifying those mistakes are between him and his wife. His attorney sent cease-and-desist letters to two of the women, arguing their claims were “undermined” by their continued friendly contact with Swalwell after the alleged incidents.
House Democratic leadership called for a “swift investigation” and urged Swalwell “to immediately end his campaign to be California’s next Governor,” stating the behavior is “unacceptable of anyone – certainly not an elected official.”
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel has separately been pushing to release a decade-old FBI file on Swalwell, a move that has alarmed some of his own agents. One of Swalwell’s staff members reportedly quit after receiving detailed questions about the allegations.
The former staffer, speaking about her decision to come forward, said, “I always felt like if I came forward, I was going to suffer the consequences because he was so powerful,” adding, “I’ve lived in fear every single day.” She concluded, “I’m not speaking up because I’m looking to ruin Eric Swalwell. The only person who could ruin Eric Swalwell is Eric Swalwell.”
Published: Apr 11, 2026 05:45 am