Swalwell suspends campaign for governor amid allegations of sexual assault, nude photos

SACRAMENTO — Embattled Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday but continued to deny accusations that he sexually assaulted a former staff member.

His campaign to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom had all but collapsed as key Democratic supporters, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Adam Schiff, abandon him.

“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell wrote Sunday on social media.

“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign had been gaining momentum up until the scandal, with recent polls showing him in the top of the crowded Democratic field of candidates. His abrupt departure throws the race into chaos less than two months before the June 2 primary.

Two reports published Friday allege that Swalwell forced himself on a young, onetime staffer, while other women described the congressman sending them photos of his penis and sexually inappropriate messages.

Swalwell has remained defiant and threatened to sue some of those making the accusations.

House ethics rules bar members from having sex with a subordinate, and House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is seeking an investigation into the allegations.

More fallout could come: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced plans to force a House vote to expel Swalwell, a motion supported by some House Democrats, including Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington.

Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat representing Northern California, also called on Swalwell to resign.

NBC News reported Sunday that there was growing “bipartisan steam” to remove Swalwell, along with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who has admitted to having an affair with a staffer who later killed herself. The expulsions could take place as soon as this week.

At the same time, the Manhattan district attorney’s office has opened an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Swalwell by the former staffer. A representative for the Alameda County district attorney’s office on Saturday said it was in the process of evaluating “whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred” in the agency’s Bay Area jurisdiction.

A former senior advisor to Swalwell’s campaign said the congressman held a Zoom call with his staff Friday morning after reporters contacted them about allegations of sexual impropriety.

Swalwell became emotionless and “dead in the face” when asked about the allegations. He assured staff the accusations were false and asked them to “fight” for him, said the advisor, who asked not to be named so they could speak candidly.

“It’s so disconnected from reality,” the advisor said.

The advisor and others quit immediately after learning later Friday about the details of sexual assault allegations.

The 45-year-old Democratic candidate established himself as a front-runner in the governor’s race despite not having a broad base of supporters in California.

A onetime member of the House Intelligence Committee and a savvy social media user and frequent guest on cable news shows, Swalwell relished his role as a foil to President Trump, using his many platforms to attack and taunt the twice-impeached, criminally convicted president.

He previously worked as a criminal prosecutor and was elected to Congress in 2012 after he defeated Rep. Pete Stark, a fellow Democrat.

He cast himself as a centrist middle-class guy and featured his wife and three young children prominently in his campaign for governor. In an interview with The Times last year, he talked about his decision to continue in politics despite the toll on his family.

Reports in the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN offered a stark contrast to Swalwell’s wholesome image, alleging that he forced himself on a young staffer.

CNN also reported on another woman’s account of an alleged sexual encounter with Swalwell that involved fending off his advances over drinks, and then waking up in his hotel room with no memory of how she got there.

Swalwell and his team threatened legal action against several individuals, the lawmaker’s attorney Elias Dabaie confirmed to The Times.

Swalwell took to social media on Friday night and called the allegations “lies” intended to hurt him in the race.

His close friend, real estate developer Stephen Cloobeck, told The Times on Sunday that Swalwell spent part of the weekend with him at his Beverly Hills home.

“I had a very serious talk with him, and I told him how disappointed I am,” Cloobeck said, adding that the lawmaker apologized.

Cloobeck was among the many Democrats running for California governor. In November he dropped out of the race and endorsed Swalwell. Cloobeck said he had contributed about $1 million to an independent political committee backing Swalwell’s campaign, donations he now deeply regrets.

“I’m literally disgusted and disturbed that my money was taken and other people’s money,” he said.

Since the news reports, campaign staffers have resigned, his fundraising website has gone offline and even his self-described “best friend” in Congress, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, has withdrawn his endorsement.

Powerful labor groups, including the California Labor Federation, Service Employees International Union California and the California Police Chiefs Assn., withdrew their support.

That union support, along with endorsements from Schiff and other prominent California Democrats, had helped propel Swalwell’s campaign in a race devoid of a clear front-runner. The race to lead the nation’s largest state remains up for grabs, with seven prominent Democrats and two Republicans jockeying to finish in first or second place in the primary and advance to the November election.

Swalwell was among the leading Democrats with the support of 13% of likely voters in a recent UC Berkeley poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. He was tied for first place among Democrats with former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, with billionaire Tom Steyer not far behind.

Other Democrats in the race include state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, San José Mayor Matt Mahan, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former state Controller Betty Yee.

The GOP gubernatorial candidates are Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.