Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat who is running for California governor, issued a strong denial amid reports he was inappropriate with female staff members.
Left-leaning online influencers have been spreading rumors across social media, claiming Swalwell engaged in unseemly behavior with members of his staff.
"This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race," Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign, told Politico.
The influencers said the women have retained counsel and would speak out soon, but some are hesitant because they signed nondisclosure agreements, Politico reported.
Swalwell's campaign said the NDA report is false.
"In 13 years, no one in Eric Swalwell's congressional office has ever been asked to sign an NDA. Ever," Beasley said in a statement. "In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged. Ever."
One X thread by Cheyenne Hunt, executive director of Gen Z for Change and a former congressional candidate, went viral.
She said one accuser — a friend — approached her, and other women corroborated the allegations.
"When I saw there were others whose experiences followed the same pattern of manipulation and abuse of power, I knew I could not stay silent," Hunt said. "These allegations include targeting employees, interns, and fans, presenting as a mentor and then exploiting that power, with communication often happening through DMs and Snapchat, and ranging from uncomfortable comments to potentially criminal conduct."
A Swalwell campaign adviser told Politico they chose to respond because primary ballots will be mailed in less than a month and they have specific allegations they wanted to dispute.
Last week, Swalwell sent a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel demanding the bureau halt any effort to release investigative files tied to his past contact with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.
The Washington Post reported that attorneys for Swalwell gave the FBI three days to confirm it would not release the materials, warning that the release would prompt a more serious response.
The move follows reports that FBI personnel had been assigned to review and redact the decade-old files, a step seen as preparing them for possible public release.
Swalwell was not charged with wrongdoing in the original investigation involving Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. His office said he cut ties with her in 2015 after being briefed by federal agents.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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