‘I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made—but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,’ Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif) wrote in a post on X.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) suspended his bid for California governor on April 12 after reports emerged accusing the Democrat of sexual assault.
“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made—but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,” Swalwell wrote in a post on X on the evening of April 12.
He also wrote in the post, “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.”
Swalwell has consistently denied the allegations, which were first reported on April 10 by the San Francisco Chronicle. The woman who made the allegations told the Chronicle, which didn’t name her, that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two occasions, including while she was employed by him, while she was heavily intoxicated. The Epoch Times has not verified the allegations against Swalwell in the report.
The congressman subsequently faced pressure from fellow Democrats to withdraw from the California gubernatorial race. On April 10, House Democratic leaders—including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.)—issued a joint statement calling for an investigation into the allegations.
Bipartisan calls are also growing for Swalwell to resign from Congress, although he has not indicated any intention to step down. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told NBC News on April 12 that she would vote to expel him. Expelling a member of the House requires a two-thirds majority vote.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said in a post on X that she would file a motion to expel Swalwell from Congress, urging the politician to resign within 24 hours. Luna also seeks to expel Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who admitted to an affair with a former staffer and abandoned his reelection bid last month.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) wrote on X that he would support voting to expel both Swalwell and Gonzales if they do not resign from Congress.
By Joseph Lord and Aldgra Fredly
