Eric Swalwell’s campaign falls apart as ex-staffer levels horrifying sexual assault claim

Staffers for Eric Swalwell — a Democratic favorite in the California governor’s race — are reportedly fleeing as a disturbing claims emerged he sexually assaulted a young former staffer.

At least four people have “abruptly” quit the East Bay congressman’s flailing campaign as a disturbing claim emerged that he sexually assaulted a young female staffer in 2019, including when she was too intoxicated to consent, Politico reported.

That includes Courtni Pugh, a top advisor in charge of Swalwell’s organized labor strategy, and multiple other staffers.

The campaign departures come alongside a troubling report in the San Francisco Chronicle alleging that the East Bay rep had nonconsensual sexual contact with a former staffer who worked for roughly two years at Swalwell’s district office in Castro Valley starting in 2019, when she was 21 years old.

Swalwell, who was 38 at the time, sent her explicit Snapchat messages that included snaps of his genitals and “a video of himself sitting on an airplane, rubbing his penis through his pants,” according to the Chronicle.

The unnamed woman alleged that in September 2019, she went for drinks with Swalwell and become heavily intoxicated, remembering nothing for the rest of the evening but waking up the next morning in Swalwell’s hotel room with the feeling that she’d had vaginal intercourse.

The woman recalled another incident in April 2024, when she claimed Swalwell sexually assaulted her after a charity gala in New York.

She said she became intoxicated after drinking with Swalwell following the event, but recalled pushing him away and telling him “no.” She told the Chronicle she woke up the next morning with “no doubt” in her mind that the congressman had forcibly had sex with her.

“I woke up once during it and even told him to stop at one point,” she wrote in a text message to a friend that was reviewed by the Chronicle.

The allegation followed rumors that have swirled on social media for days alleging sexual misconduct by Swalwell, though the Chronicle story was the first specific allegation reported in the press.

Swalwell was considered a Democratic frontrunner in recent polls, landing the backing of major unions like the California Teachers Association, the SEIU, Sens. Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego, Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Ted Lieu and others.

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Polls conducted before the allegation emerged show Swalwell competing with billionaire activist Tom Steyer and former Rep. Katie Porter for. the top spot among Dems in the running. Republican Steve Hilton has led many recent polls overall and earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump this week.

Elizabeth Ashford, a Democratic political strategist, told The Post that the allegations against Swalwell are “extremely serious and potentially career-ending.”

“Anyone who is accused of something like this, it’s really imperative we get his side of the story,” Ashford said.

“I also think it’s really imperative we think about the massive reverberations for anyone who works for him and has worked for him.”

Swalwell forcefully denied that he’d ever had a sexual relationship with a staffer at a town hall event Tuesday.

“No, no, no, no,” he told a Post reporter at the Sacramento event.

An attorney for Swalwell sent cease-and-desist letters to at least two individuals leveling claims against the congressman late Thursday evening, according to Cheyenne Hunt, a Democratic activist who circulated social media reports this week that a damning story about Swalwell was about to drop.

Swalwell’s lawyer, Elias Dabaie, told the individuals that he could sue for defamation over reports of “nonconsensual sexual encounters, he confirmed to The Post.

“We believe those allegations are baseless and continue to seek the truth. We also want to understand why these allegations would suddenly arise on the eve on an election against the frontrunner in what appears to be a coordinated effort to undermine his candidacy,” Dabaie said in an email.

If the allegations prove to be true, or more women come forward, Swalwell’s lead in the polls could bottom out, Ashford added.

“Swalwell is in the lead, so were he to drop out, it puts that percentage of Democratic voters in play and that’s something any smart candidate will seize on,” Ashford said.

Swalwell’s rival in the governor’s race, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, demanded he drop out after the allegation emerged.

“To the survivor who risked everything to come forward – I believe you,” Mahan wrote on X.

“To the Democratic Party – you’d better hold him accountable. If we don’t, we have no credibility asking anyone else to do the same,” he added.

Porter also chimed in, voicing support for the women on X.

“The allegations against Congressman Swalwell are horrifying. I’m thinking of the courageous women who have come forward to share their stories,” she wrote.