By Sam Barron | Tuesday, 07 April 2026 07:22 PM EDT
Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat running for California governor, issued a strong denial amid reports he engaged in unseemly behavior with female staff members.
Left-leaning online influencers have been spreading rumors across social media, claiming Swalwell had inappropriate conduct with members of his staff.
“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign, stated.
The influencers said that the women have retained legal counsel and plan to speak out soon, though some are hesitant due to nondisclosure agreements.
Swalwell’s campaign asserted that reports of the nondisclosure agreements were false.
“In 13 years, no one in Eric Swalwell’s congressional office has ever been asked to sign an NDA. Ever,” Beasley said in a statement. “In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged. Ever.”
One viral thread by Cheyenne Hunt, executive director of Gen Z for Change and a former congressional candidate, went viral.
She stated that one accuser—a friend—approached her, and other women corroborated the allegations.
“When I saw there were others whose experiences followed the same pattern of manipulation and abuse of power, I knew I could not stay silent,” Hunt said. “These allegations include targeting employees, interns, and fans, presenting as a mentor and then exploiting that power, with communication often happening through DMs and Snapchat, and ranging from uncomfortable comments to potentially criminal conduct.”
A Swalwell campaign adviser explained they chose to respond because primary ballots will be mailed in less than a month and they had specific allegations to dispute.
Last week, Swalwell sent a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel demanding the bureau halt any effort to release investigative files tied to his past contact with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.
Swalwell’s attorneys gave the FBI three days to confirm it would not release the materials, warning that the release could prompt a more serious response.
This move followed reports that FBI personnel had been assigned to review and redact the decade-old files, a step seen as preparing them for possible public release.
Swalwell was not charged with wrongdoing in the original investigation involving Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. His office stated he cut ties with her in 2015 after being briefed by federal agents.
