The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed over the weekend that it has opened an inquiry into Swalwell, a sitting member of Congress, in connection with sexual assault allegations brought forward by a former employee.
According to the account first published by the San Francisco Chronicle, the former staffer alleges that Swalwell engaged in non-consensual sexual contact with her on two separate occasions while she was too intoxicated to give consent. One of the alleged incidents is said to have occurred in a New York City hotel room in April 2024, after she had already departed his congressional staff.
The woman began working in Swalwell’s California district office in 2019, at the age of 21, before later transferring to his Washington, D.C., office. She left his employ in 2021.
The District Attorney’s Office issued a public statement encouraging individuals with relevant information to come forward, directing them to contact its Special Victims Division. The office noted that its personnel are trained to work with survivors in a trauma-informed capacity.
Swalwell has firmly rejected the allegations. In a video statement released Friday evening, he described the accusations as entirely fabricated and suggested their timing was politically motivated, noting that he has been a leading candidate in the California governor’s race ahead of an upcoming election.
The allegations have generated an immediate and significant political fallout. A number of Democratic figures have publicly called on Swalwell to withdraw from the gubernatorial race following the reports. As of the weekend, he had not announced a decision regarding the future of his campaign, though he indicated that one would be forthcoming.
