Eric Swalwell wants to replace Gavin Newsom as governor of the state of California. The Democrat is now accused of raping a female employee.
April 11, 2026, 1:12 p.mApril 11, 2026, 1:12 p.m
US politician Eric Swalwell is accused of rape and other sexual crimes. Swalwell, who is running for governor in the state California US media reports are said to have raped a woman twice while she was drunk. The “San Francisco Chronicle” first reported on it.
Eric Swalwell is facing serious allegations.Image: keystone
The victim is said to have been a 21-year-old who started working for the politician in 2019. The Democrat is said to have sent the woman, among other things, pictures of his genitals and asked her to send him nude pictures. The woman later allegedly had sex with the deputy, which she no longer remembered because she was drunk.
This is said to have happened again in 2024, after the woman is said to have stopped working for Swalwell. She is said to only be able to remember fragments of the evening. However, she allegedly asked Swalwell to stop during sex.
Politician rejects allegations
The politician’s team sent a cease and desist request to the alleged victim on Thursday. In a public statement, he also stated that the allegations were false: “I will defend myself with the facts and, if necessary, take legal action,” the statement said. Swalwell is presumed innocent.
The politician also rejected the allegations in a post on Instagram. “These things never happened,” said the politician. But he also made mistakes in the past. “These mistakes are between me and my wife, and I apologize for them, and I deeply apologize for the situation I put her in,” he said.
The Democrat has represented California as a member of the House of Representatives since 2013. The 45-year-old is also running for governor in the state. Swalwell would like to replace the current incumbent Gavin Newsom and, according to polls, was considered a promising candidate in his party. Newsom is not allowed to run again after two terms in office and is considered a possible presidential candidate for his party.
On Friday, several prominent Democrats withdrew their support from the representative in the election campaign and called on him to give up his campaign. This includes, among others, the long-time Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi is also from California.