Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., announced he’s dropping out of the California governor’s race amid allegations of sexual misconduct made against him, including from an ex-staffer who said he sexually assaulted her.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” he said on X Sunday. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
In reports by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, an ex-staffer said Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two occasions in 2019 and 2024. The latter assault allegedly took place in a New York hotel room. Three other women told CNN they also experienced instances of sexual misconduct from Swalwell.
Multiple lawmakers had called for Swalwell to drop out of the California gubernatorial primary election or resign from Congress in light of the allegations. He also lost endorsements from several unions, including the California Teachers Association and the California Medical Association.
“We call for a swift investigation into these incidents,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement Friday.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said she plans on filing a motion to expel Swalwell from Congress, and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said she’s going to introduce a privileged resolution on the House floor to censure him.
Cal Matters reports that because he left the race after the state deadline to withdraw, Swalwell’s name will still be on the ballot in the primary on June 2.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Straight Arrow News on Saturday that it is investigating a sexual assault allegation made against Swalwell.
In a separate case, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services referred accusations that Swalwell employed a Brazilian national as a nanny without lawful work authorization to the Department of Homeland Security.
USCIS had been collecting information on these claims, DHS said in an X post Sunday.
“No one is above the law, including a member of Congress,” the agency said.
Politico was first to report on the investigation.
The New York Post published a story Saturday saying the nanny kept working for Swalwell’s family after her temporary work authorization expired in 2022, citing complaints to DHS. In one complaint, Swalwell was accused of paying the nanny “under the table” by using campaign funds while she didn’t have work authorization. She eventually received a permanent labor certification in 2024.