Former staffer accuses Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexually assaulting her while she was intoxicated - BERITAJA

A erstwhile adjutant to Rep. Eric Swalwell, a apical Democratic candidate for governor of California, told the San Francisco Chronicle that she had intersexual encounters pinch him erstwhile he was her leader and alleged that he doubly sexually assaulted her erstwhile she was excessively intoxicated to consent.

The female worked for Swalwell from 2019 until 2021, Beritaja confirmed. The woman’s lawyer declined to remark and Beritaja has not verified her allegations, arsenic reported by the Chronicle.

Swalwell did not instantly respond to requests to remark via his campaign, legislature agency aliases his attorney. He told the Chronicle successful a connection that the woman’s allegations are not true.

“These allegations are mendacious and travel connected the eve of an predetermination against the frontrunner for governor,” he wrote, later adding: “I will take sides myself pinch the facts and wherever basal bring ineligible action. My attraction successful the coming days is to beryllium pinch my woman and children and take sides our decades of work against these lies.”

The erstwhile staffer told the Chronicle that successful September 2019, while she was employed by him, Swalwell invited her retired for drinks, and she became truthful intoxicated that she doesn’t retrieve what happened. She said she woke up naked successful his edifice furniture and could “feel the effect of vaginal intercourse.”

In April 2024, aft she stopped moving for the congressman, she said she met Swalwell for drinks aft a kindness gala astatine which he was honored. She again became truthful inebriated while drinking pinch him that she only remembers “snippets” of the evening, she told the paper. One of the flashes she recalled was Swalwell having activity pinch her successful his edifice room and telling him no.

The Chronicle says it reviewed matter messages she sent to a friend about that brushwood 3 days later, which included that she told Swalwell to stop. The insubstantial besides interviewed her fellow astatine the time, who confirmed she told him about the alleged battle and its reporters viewed aesculapian records that showed she sought gestation and STD tests afterward.

In the days earlier the communicative was published connected Friday, rumors bounced about some left-wing and right-wing societal media about imaginable allegations against the congressman related to intersexual misconduct. Swalwell was asked about the rumors by a reporter for KTXL successful Sacramento, who said she asked whether he had ever had inappropriate relations pinch a staffer aliases intern. “It’s false,” he replied.

Swalwell’s run attempted to get retired successful beforehand of immoderate story, issuing a uncommon but vehement preemptive denial, saying that the congressman had not engaged successful immoderate inappropriate behavior.

“This false, outrageous rumor is being dispersed 27 days earlier an predetermination originates by flailing opponents who person sadly teamed up pinch MAGA conspiracy theorists because they cognize Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner successful this race,” Micah Beasley, a run spokesman, said successful a connection Wednesday.

The connection did not mention aliases reside immoderate circumstantial allegations but said successful consequence to immoderate online rumors that Swalwell had not asked anyone successful his agency to motion a non-disclosure agreement. The Chronicle’s study did not see immoderate allegations related to NDAs.

“In 13 years, nary 1 successful Eric Swalwell’s Congressional agency has ever been asked to motion an NDA. Ever,” Beasley said successful his Wednesday statement. “In 13 years, not a azygous morals title by immoderate unit successful his agency aliases immoderate different agency has ever been lodged. Ever.”

After the Chronicle communicative published connected Friday, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., said successful a statement he had stepped down from Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign, wherever he served arsenic a run chair, and called connected him to driblet retired of the race. “Today I learned shocking accusation about Eric Swalwell containing the ugliest and about superior accusations imaginable,” Gomez said, adding that Swalwell “should time off the title now truthful location could beryllium afloat accountability without doubt, distraction, aliases delay.”

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said he was withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell, a adjacent friend. “I’ve publication the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting and I return it seriously,” he said. “What is described is indefensible. Women who travel guardant pinch accounts for illustration this merit to beryllium heard pinch respect, not questioned aliases dismissed. … I americium withdrawing my endorsement of Congressman Swalwell, effective immediately.”

The California Teachers Association besides suspended its endorsement of Swalwell.

“The allegations are incredibly disturbing and unacceptable against Rep. Swalwell. We are instantly suspending our support,” CTA President David Goldberg said successful a statement.

On Friday, each of Swalwell’s run ads for his gubernatorial bid connected Facebook and Instagram were listed arsenic “inactive,” including ads that were moving earlier successful the day, according to a reappraisal of Meta’s archive.

The California superior for politician will return spot connected June 2, pinch early voting starting connected May 4.

Swalwell, 45, a adjacent state of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a chap San Francisco Bay Area Democrat, has served successful Congress since 2013 and launched a long-shot, grounded bid for the White House successful 2020.

He’s been a vocal professional of President Donald Trump successful some of his terms. After the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Pelosi named Swalwell, an attorney, 1 of Democrats’ 9 impeachment prosecutors.

Swalwell’s crisp disapproval of the president made him a target of Trump friends and the right. At the commencement of 2023, then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., blocked Swalwell from serving connected the House Intelligence Committee, citing his ties to a 2014 run unpaid who later was suspected to beryllium a Chinese spy, Christina Fang. That year, the House Ethics Committee took nary action against Swalwell aft a two-year investigation into the matter.

Swalwell trim ties pinch Fang successful 2015 aft the FBI gave him what’s known arsenic a “defensive” briefing that she was moving for Beijing and targeting respective section rising politicians successful the San Francisco Bay Area. Swalwell has many times denied immoderate wrongdoing successful the Fang matter and said he assisted the FBI successful its investigation.

Last month, Swalwell asked the FBI not to merchandise files related to his past relation pinch the suspected Chinese intelligence operative.