Backlash for California Gubernatorial Candidate Eric Swalwell

California gubernatorial candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) has come under fire on social media. The criticism follows reports that his lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter to his accusers just a day before significant allegations against him were made public on Friday.

Swalwell, who previously advocated for listening to women’s allegations during Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 confirmation hearings, is now facing accusations of hypocrisy.

He had stated, “We witnessed continued humiliation to victims of sexual assault… their stories deserve to be investigated.” At that time, he expressed hopes that Kavanaugh would welcome questioning from accusers to clear his name.

As Swalwell navigates a competitive field of candidates vying to replace outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom, he is working to downplay these serious allegations against him.

Legal analyst Jonathan Turley pointed out that Swalwell was at the forefront of calls for Kavanaugh to defend himself when accusations were leveled against him.

Compounding the matter, Mike Davis, who is associated with the Senate Judiciary Committee, highlighted Swalwell’s previous attacks on Kavanaugh, adding fuel to the fire of this controversy.

Rumors of Swalwell’s misconduct emerged last month when Cheyenne Hunt, a former Capitol Hill official, began sharing accounts of purported incidents involving Swalwell. Although his lawyer attempted to mitigate the rumors with a cease-and-desist letter, media outlets, including CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle, released explosive allegations on Friday.

One alleged victim has spoken out about her experiences, claiming Swalwell took advantage of her while she was intoxicated and pressured her into sharing explicit photos. She described how his actions affected her professional life, detailing instances of inappropriate conduct.

Another allegation surfaced regarding an incident that took place at a charity event in April 2024, where the woman accused Swalwell of attempting to force a sexual encounter after she had a few drinks. She later communicated to a friend that she felt assaulted and even described feeling unconscious but recalled moments where she tried to refuse his advances.

Despite the growing pressure and calls from Democratic leaders for him to withdraw from the race, Swalwell issued a video statement asserting the allegations are “completely false” and emphasizing his intention to fight back against these claims.

He admitted to past errors in judgment but insisted that those mistakes should remain private, aimed at his personal life. His spokesperson accused his opponents of aligning themselves with conspiracy theorists due to Swalwell’s leading position in the race.

No further comments have come from Swalwell’s office regarding the unfolding situation.