Swalwell Denies Staff Misconduct Allegations Before Primary

California Rep. Eric Swalwell forcefully denied allegations of sexual misconduct with female staffers and interns on Tuesday, attributing the claims to political opponents as early voting in the state's gubernatorial primary approaches.

The accusations, which have circulated on social media platforms like X and Instagram for weeks, were amplified by Democratic activists including Cheyenne Hunt, director of the left-leaning Gen Z for Change organization, and education influencer Arielle Fodor. Hunt, a former Capitol Hill staffer, posted videos and messages claiming Swalwell made unwanted advances toward her at age 19 and toward other young women in his office. She stated she is working with a group of women prepared to share similar accounts of harassment and abuse of power, and is aware of a larger group in the process of doing so. Hunt added that the women have secured legal counsel and are collaborating with an investigative news outlet. Fodor echoed the concerns, saying she has heard from personal contacts about inappropriate interactions spanning years.

Swalwell, a seven-term congressman from Dublin representing a district east of San Francisco, rejected the claims during a...