Former staffer accuses Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexual assault, reports say

A former staffer has accused Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, a current candidate for California governor, of reportedly sexually assaulting her. The allegations were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. The woman, who has not been publicly identified and worked for Swalwell for nearly two years, alleged she had sexual encounters while he was her boss, and he sexually assaulted her on two occasions when she was too intoxicated to consent, the Chronicle reported. The woman told the paper Swalwell began pursuing her weeks after she was hired at age 21 to work in the Democrat’s district in 2019. The woman claimed Swalwell invited her for drinks in 2019, and during that encounter, she became too intoxicated to remember what happened. She alleged she woke up naked in his hotel bed, and following the incident, he distanced himself and their relationship eventually dissolved. Five years later, in 2024, the woman alleged she attended a charity gala where Swalwell was honored. After the event, she said they met for drinks and she became intoxicated, but remembers only fragments of the night, including pushing him away and saying “no” as he allegedly forced himself on her. She texted a friend three days later, according to the Chronicle, saying she had been sexually assaulted by Swalwell. In text messages, independently review by the Chronicle, the woman told her friend she “blacked out” but “woke up once during it and even told him to stop at one point.” The Chronicle spoke with the woman’s friend…

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