{"id":7998472,"date":"2026-04-11T18:09:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T01:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/?p=7998472"},"modified":"2026-04-11T18:09:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T01:09:33","slug":"eric-swalwell-staffers-call-for-support-of-sexual-misconduct-accusers-as-scandal-widens-were-horrified","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/media-platforms\/politics\/eric-swalwell-staffers-call-for-support-of-sexual-misconduct-accusers-as-scandal-widens-were-horrified\/","title":{"rendered":"Eric Swalwell Staffers Call for Support of Sexual Misconduct Accusers as Scandal Widens: &#8216;We&#8217;re Horrified&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<p>Staff members from the congressional office and gubernatorial campaign of Rep. Eric Swalwell called for support of women who have accused the California Democrat of sexual misconduct, including a former aide who alleges he raped her, according to an unsigned statement shared Saturday with multiple media outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The statement followed reporting Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailing allegations by several women. One former staffer told the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her twice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CNN later reported that four women had accused the congressman of sexual misconduct, including the same woman, who alleged he raped her in 2019 and again in 2024 during a trip to New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Manhattan District Attorney\u2019s Office said Saturday it had opened an investigation into the 2024 allegation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs leaders of teams working for Eric Swalwell, we\u2019re horrified by the recent reporting,\u201d the statement said. \u201cWe stand with our former colleague, and the other women who have come forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8 NEWS: just received this statement from senior staff of California\u2019s 14th Congressional District and Eric Swalwell<br \/>for Governor 2026 \u2b07\ufe0f<br \/><br \/>\u201cAs leaders of teams working for Eric Swalwell, we\u2019re horrified by the recent reporting in the San Francisco Chronicle and by CNN.<br \/><br \/>We\u2026<\/p>&mdash; Nikki Laurenzo (@NikkiLaurenzo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NikkiLaurenzo\/status\/2043074690869268993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 11, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The statement described the alleged conduct as \u201cabhorrent\u201d and said it betrays the trust of Californians. It also sought to distance current staff from the lawmaker, saying their continued employment \u201cshould not be viewed as support\u201d for Swalwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe recognize that not everyone \u2014 in particular our junior staff \u2014 can immediately forfeit their income and benefits without significant personal risk,\u201d the statement said, adding that staff leaders have obligations to their teams and to constituents in California\u2019s 14th Congressional District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The statement was distributed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/04\/11\/swalwell-staffers-statement-horrified-00868301\">Politico<\/a> and other outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In interviews cited by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/politics\/article\/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php\">the Chronicle<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/04\/10\/us\/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs\">CNN<\/a>, the former staffer alleged that Swalwell forced her to perform oral sex in a parking lot in 2019. She also told CNN she awoke to him having sex with her in a New York hotel room in 2024 after a night of heavy drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The accuser said she told him to stop during the earlier encounter. \u201cI was pushing him off of me saying \u2018no,\u2019\u201d she told CNN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Swalwell denied the allegations in a statement to the Chronicle, calling them false and politically motivated. \u201cThese allegations are false and come on the eve of an election,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The congressman, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, faced a wave of staff departures following the reports. On Friday, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders called on Swalwell to end his gubernatorial campaign in California after Friday\u2019s bombshell report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a joint statement released Friday evening, the House Minority Leader, along with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/media-platforms\/politics\/hakeem-jeffries-nancy-pelosi-more-react-eric-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegations\/\">demanded \u201ca swift investigation\u201d<\/a> into the allegations and demanded that Swalwell exit California\u2019s race for governor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFollowing the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, we call for a swift investigation into these incidents and for the Congressman to immediately end his campaign to be California\u2019s next Governor,\u201d the statement&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/jeffries.house.gov\/2026\/04\/10\/house-democratic-leadership-statement-on-accusations-against-rep-eric-swalwell\/\">noted<\/a>. \u201cThis is unacceptable of anyone \u2014 certainly not an elected official \u2014 and must be taken seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-the-wrap-read-more\">\n\t<div class=\"the-wrap-read-more__container\">\n\t\t<a class=\"the-wrap-read-more__image\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/media-platforms\/politics\/hakeem-jeffries-nancy-pelosi-more-react-eric-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegations\/\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Hakeem Jeffries, Eric Swalwell, Nancy Pelosi\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=320%2C180&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=640%2C360&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=380%2C214&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 380w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=760%2C428&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 760w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=394%2C222&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 394w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=788%2C444&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 788w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=778%2C438&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 778w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=976%2C549&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 976w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T182442.263.jpg?resize=990%2C557&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 990w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-portal-copyright=\"TheWrap\" data-has-syndication-rights=\"1\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"the-wrap-read-more__headline\">\n\t\t\t<strong>Read Next<\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/media-platforms\/politics\/hakeem-jeffries-nancy-pelosi-more-react-eric-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegations\/\">Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi and More Call on Eric Swalwell to End Run for Governor After Bombshell Sexual Assault Allegations<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Saturday statement included members of Swalwell&#8217;s congressional office and gubernatorial campaign<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10085,"featured_media":7998473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"byline":{"profiles":[{"type":"byline_id","atts":{"term_id":504671,"post_id":7303228}}]},"_links_to":"","_links_to_type":0,"nb_breaking_email_type":"","nb_breaking_template":"","nb_breaking_from_name":"","nb_breaking_subject":"","nb_breaking_preview":"","nb_breaking_list":[],"nb_breaking_header_img":0,"nb_breaking_should_send":false,"nb_breaking_content":"","nb_newsletter_sent_breaking_post_id":[],"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-04-12T01:09:32Z","apple_news_api_id":"fb8d0c32-79d3-420b-ab63-5047331cea0e","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-04-12T01:09:39Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A-40MMnnTQgurY1BHMxzqDg","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"hide_featured_image":false,"the_wrap_post_enable_full_width_featured_image":false,"the_wrap_post_enable_featured_video":false,"the_wrap_post_featured_video":"","the_wrap_post_disable_read_more":false,"wp_curate_deduplication":false,"wp_curate_unique_pinned_posts":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[426],"tags":[385944],"tw_data_partners":[],"columns":[],"byline":[504671],"class_list":["post-7998472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-eric-swalwell"],"newsletter_builder_byline":"Josh 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