In-hiding Eric Swalwell quietly pays lawyer mega money from campaign donations to fight sex assault claims

The reclusive and disgraced Eric Swalwell has paid a law firm more than $313,000 so far to fend off his sexual misconduct claims, according to a recent campaign finance disclosure.

In his most recent disclosure spanning from April 19 to May 16, Swalwell’s campaign paid Sara Azari’s New York law firm in two separate payments of $250,000 and $23,251, totaling $273,251, for “campaign legal compliance.”

The payments came after he had already given her $40,000 to defend him publicly.

Swalwell, who dropped out of the gubernatorial race and resigned his seat in Congress due to the claims, has been quiet in recent weeks. His name will still appear on the June 2 primary ballot for governor, reminding voters of his temporary presence in the race.

Azari says she specializes “allegations of sexual misconduct in a post-#MeToo landscape.”

She recently gave a full-throated defense of the disgraced ex-congressman during an interview with NewsNation, saying “regret is not rape” in claiming Swalwell’s alleged victims were just ashamed by any sexual activity they engaged in with him.

“The fact that, you know, a day later, years later, or whatnot, you maybe had shame around what you did, or maybe you were in a relationship and shouldn’t have done what you did, doesn’t make it rape,” she told the network, to which she also contributes.

The impacts of Swalwell’s misconduct is also showing in his personal life.

Swalwell’s wife, Brittany, was recently spotted wedding ring-less near the couple’s $1.2 million Washington, D.C. home.

Swalwell’s last public comments about the scandal came on April 10, when he posted a social media video denying the sexual misconduct claims.

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