NEW: Criminal Investigation Launched Into Eric Swalwell

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced Saturday that it is investigating an allegation of sexual assault against U.S. Rep Eric Swalwell (D-CA). The investigation follows reports published the previous day by CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle detailing allegations of sexual misconduct made by a former staffer and three other women.

According to the former staffer’s account, the most recent alleged incident occurred in April 2024 in New York City. The woman, who had previously worked in Swalwell’s district office, stated that she met him after a charity gala. The two consumed alcohol, after which she became heavily intoxicated.

She reported waking up in his hotel room at the Times Square Edition as he was having sex with her.

“I was pushing him off of me, saying no… He didn’t stop,” the staffer told CNN. She described waking up alone with vaginal bleeding, cuts, and bruises on her rib cage, legs, and thighs. She added that Swalwell later messaged her on Snapchat, stating the night was great and hoping she remembered it, while instructing her not to tell anyone.

The former staffer also described two earlier incidents in 2019 while employed in Swalwell’s office. In one, she alleged that while driving him in his district, he pulled out his penis and asked her to perform oral sex in a parking lot. In a separate alleged incident from 2019, the woman reported becoming heavily intoxicated before waking up naked in Swalwell’s hotel room with no recollection of the previous night.

Three additional women described separate instances of misconduct to CNN. One woman reported that after connecting with Swalwell online in 2025 over political topics, he met her for drinks during a trip, touched her leg and kissed her without consent in a bar, after which she blacked out and woke up in his hotel room. Two other women reported receiving unsolicited explicit messages and photos of his genitals via Snapchat or text in 2021.

Swalwell has denied the allegations and has indicated that he plans to remain in the California gubernatorial race, in which he is a leading candidate. “These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor. For nearly 20 years, I have served the public – as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action,” the congressman said in a statement to CNN.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has officially launched an investigation into allegations involving Eric Swalwell sexually assaulting multiple women. pic.twitter.com/UT07D86dCt

— Parler (@parler_social) April 11, 2026

On Saturday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed that it had opened an investigation into the allegations. In a statement, the office urged any victims, or anyone with knowledge of the situation, to contact its Special Victims Division.

“We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division at 212-335-9373. Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner,” the statement reads.

Swalwell, who represents California’s 14th Congressional District and previously ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary, announced his candidacy for California governor in November 2025. Prior to the allegations, he was positioned as the top Democrat in the state’s all-party primary.

In the 24 hours since the allegations became public, several prominent lawmakers and organizations have rescinded their endorsements. A number of senior campaign staff have also quit, while a number of lawmakers are now calling on Swalwell to resign from Congress following news of the investigation.

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