Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell ends bid for California governor as he faces sexual assault allegations


Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his bid for California governor on Sunday as he faced growing pressure to end his campaign amid allegations of sexual assault

“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell wrote on social media. “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.”

Swalwell denied the allegations Friday after a former staffer accused him of sexually assaulting her twice when she was too drunk to consent, among other alleged misconduct. 

Swalwell called the allegations “false” and suggested they were politically motivated. He threatened to take legal action against the unnamed woman, who detailed the alleged encounters to the San Francisco Chronicle, which published a story Friday. 

The calls from Democrats to end his campaign were swift. Swalwell, who had won the backing of many of the state’s top Democrats, lost their support as they expressed horror at the accusations. 

In a statement Friday night, House Democratic leaders had called for Swalwell to immediately end his campaign, but stopped short of urging him to resign from Congress. 

“This is unacceptable of anyone — certainly not an elected official — and must be taken seriously,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California said. “All perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment must be held accountable.”

California’s two Democratic senators, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, also called on Swalwell to withdraw. Schiff said he was “deeply distressed” by the accusations.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    6 Takeaways From Arizona’s Tense, Trump-Dominated Primaries

    Republican primary elections in Arizona on Tuesday elevated a former N.F.L. kicker in a key House race, a hard-line Trump loyalist trying to win the governorship and an election denier…

    June 2027 trial date proposed as ousted Venezuelan president due back in Manhattan court

    Federal prosecutors and defense lawyers for ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are seeking a June 2027 trial date in their narco-terrorism and drug trafficking case, according to a…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    OpenAI says Hugging Face was breached by its pre-release models

    OpenAI says Hugging Face was breached by its pre-release models

    Japan Is Startled by Prime Minister’s Grueling Sleep Schedule

    A Palestinian family split between Israel and Gaza reunites after years of war and loss

    A Palestinian family split between Israel and Gaza reunites after years of war and loss

    We Tested Dozens Of Free CarPlay Apps, Here Are The Best Ones

    We Tested Dozens Of Free CarPlay Apps, Here Are The Best Ones

    Slay the Spire 2 developer shows artwork and concepts for Doormaker boss replacement Aeonglass

    Slay the Spire 2 developer shows artwork and concepts for Doormaker boss replacement Aeonglass

    Companies race to deliver autonomous uncrewed fighter jets

    Companies race to deliver autonomous uncrewed fighter jets