Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has denied accusations of sexual harassment against female staffers, breaking his silence on claims from an activist alleging she is coordinating with women preparing to come forward with allegations.
According to ABC7 San Francisco, Swalwell addressed the allegations at a town hall event in Sacramento. When asked if he has ever behaved inappropriately with female staffers, the California Democrat responded: “No, no, it’s false. And also some of the allegations I’ve seen—I’ve had NDAs in the office, and never, there’s never been an allegation and there’s never been a settlement. And I will also just take stock that we’re 27 days before an election starts.”
Politico reports the accusations originated from multiple left-leaning influencers and social media accounts without evidence. Swalwell’s campaign previously denied the claims, stating he was being targeted because he is a frontrunner in the race for governor. Swalwell said he chose to respond publicly to avoid any questions about his conduct as the primary approaches.
Cheyenne Hunt, executive director of Gen-Z for Change, stated she became involved after “the first victim who approached me is a close friend” and later saw others with similar experiences involving “manipulation and abuse of power.” She described allegations ranging from “uncomfortable comments to potentially criminal conduct,” including targeting employees, interns, and fans through DMs and Snapchat messages. Hunt has not provided names for the other women or specified which groups she refers to.
Democratic strategist Bhavik Lathia posted on X urging Democrats to take the allegations “seriously,” writing: “Hey, I just got off the phone with a trusted friend. This is real. Take it seriously. Eric Swalwell cannot be our nominee.”
Micah Beasley, Swalwell’s spokesperson, countered Hunt’s assertions by noting: “In 13 years, no one in Eric Swalwell’s Congressional office has ever been asked to sign an NDA. Ever. In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged.”
Hunt responded to Beasley’s framing, stating: “Smearing survivors with claims that they ‘teamed up with MAGA’ is morally repugnant. These women are brave and deserve to be heard.”
