Late-Night Hosts Silent on Swalwell’s Resignation

Neither Jimmy Kimmel nor Stephen Colbert, known for their left-leaning comedy, addressed the resignation of disgraced Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell during their monologues this week. This is surprising given their past support for him prior to his fall from grace.

Swalwell, a Democrat from California, stepped down from his position in the House of Representatives on Monday and also withdrew his bid for governor after numerous women accused him of sexual harassment and assault throughout his career.

He was a frequent guest on major late-night shows and had strong backing from both networks, with shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert encouraging his gubernatorial ambitions.

Oddly enough, neither host mentioned Swalwell’s awkward exit in the wake of his scandals. They also surprisingly overlooked the escalating issues surrounding Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who stated he was unaware of Swalwell’s alleged predatory behavior, despite being close friends.

Additionally, Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas) also resigned this week amid misconduct allegations, but that news didn’t make headlines with the late-night crowd either.

A recent highlight from the Media Research Center showed that Swalwell has been a regular presence on liberal networks like MS NOW and CNN, with 26 and 24 appearances this year, respectively. Interestingly, these outlets haven’t delved into the existing allegations against him, including involvement with a Chinese spy.

Kimmel and Colbert have spent a good part of their careers opposing Donald Trump and yet have remained largely silent on pressing concerns involving the Democratic Party. During Joe Biden’s less-than-stellar presidency, they’ve largely refrained from critiquing him, offering only some lighthearted remarks that paint him as an endearing, albeit aging figure.