Manhattan Prosecutor Opens Investigation Into Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against California Congressman Eric Swalwell
Why It Matters
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has launched a formal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell, a sitting member of Congress and a leading contender in California’s crowded governor’s race. The investigation carries significant legal and political consequences, potentially reshaping a high-stakes primary contest in the nation’s most populous state just weeks before voters begin receiving postal ballots.
The allegations raise serious questions about the conduct of a sitting federal lawmaker — one who positioned himself as a champion of women — and could fundamentally alter the Democratic Party’s prospects in November’s general election.
What Happened
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed it has opened an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Swalwell, a Democrat first elected in 2012 to a congressional district near San Francisco. The announcement came after four women publicly accused the congressman of misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to rape, including at least one alleged incident in New York.
The first allegation emerged publicly on Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle. A former staff member in Swalwell’s Castro Valley district office alleged that the congressman made inappropriate comments, including soliciting her for sex and sending her sexual messages. She further alleged she was assaulted twice — once in September 2019 following a night of drinks, and again in 2024 after a charity gala in New York. She stated that on both occasions she was too intoxicated to consent.
CNN subsequently published accounts from four women alleging sexual misconduct. Swalwell’s legal team has sent cease-and-desist letters to two of the accusers, according to the network.
Swalwell has denied all allegations. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman, and have always protected women,” he said. He stated he would defend himself “with the facts” and pursue legal action where necessary. In a Facebook video, Swalwell acknowledged making “mistakes in judgment” in the past but characterized them as private matters between himself and his wife, to whom he publicly apologized.
By the Numbers
- 4 women have publicly accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to rape
- 2 accusers have received cease-and-desist letters from Swalwell’s legal team
- 2 alleged assault incidents described by the first accuser — one in 2019, one in 2024
- 20 years Democrats have held California’s governorship consecutively
- November 3 is the general election date; the June primary determines the top two finalists regardless of party
Political Fallout
Within hours of the allegations surfacing, Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign began losing key Democratic backing. Senator Adam Schiff and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries withdrew their support. California’s outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom called the allegations “deeply troubling,” while former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was “best” they be investigated “outside of a gubernatorial campaign.”
Swalwell’s own congressional and campaign aides issued an unsigned statement saying they were “horrified” by the allegations. “We stand with our former colleague and the other women who have come forward,” the statement read. “The behaviour detailed in these reports is abhorrent, beneath the dignity of those serving in public office.”
The collapse of Swalwell’s support — reflecting the kind of fractures increasingly visible within the Democratic coalition — has created a dangerous scenario for the party. With no clear frontrunner in the crowded Democratic primary field, vote-splitting among Democrats could allow two Republican candidates to finish in the top two spots in June, effectively locking Democrats out of the November general election entirely.
Zoom Out
The Swalwell case arrives amid renewed national scrutiny of how political parties handle misconduct allegations against their own members. The willingness of senior Democrats — including Schiff, Jeffries, and Pelosi — to quickly distance themselves from Swalwell suggests the party is acutely aware of the electoral stakes. Political exits and withdrawals have increasingly reshaped competitive races across the country in recent months.
California’s top-two primary system, which advances the top two vote-getters regardless of party, adds another layer of complexity. In past cycles, Democratic dominance in the state made intra-party divisions manageable. In this race, they could prove decisive.
What’s Next
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Special Victims Division is actively urging anyone with knowledge of the allegations to come forward. “Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators and counsellors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner,” the office stated.
Swalwell has not indicated whether he will exit the California governor’s race. With postal ballots set to reach voters in the coming weeks, pressure is mounting on the congressman to make a decision that could determine whether Democrats remain competitive in their own state’s most consequential race of the cycle.