Congressional and campaign staffers for Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) have condemned the recent sexual assault allegations against their embattled boss, urging the public to support the four accusers.
“As leaders of teams working for Eric Swalwell, we’re horrified by the recent reporting in the San Francisco Chronicle and by CNN,” more than a dozen staffers said in an unsigned statement on Saturday. “We stand with our former colleague, and the other women who have come forward. We believe you should stand with them, too.”
Those reports, which dropped on Friday, detailed four separate allegations, including one from a former staffer of Swalwell’s. That ex-staffer, who worked in Swalwell’s California and Washington, D.C., offices, claimed he raped her twice.
“The behavior detailed in these reports is abhorrent, beneath the dignity of those serving in public office and betrays the trust of all Californians,” the unnamed staffers said.
However, they signaled they’re still not ditching their jobs working for Swalwell, even if they no longer support him.
“Any decision of staff members to remain in their roles in the interim should not be viewed as support for Eric Swalwell. We recognize that not everyone — in particular our junior staff — can immediately forfeit their income and benefits without significant personal risk or consequence. Our responsibility now is to them,” they said.
“We, more than he, understand that we have obligations to the people we lead and to the constituents of California’s 14th Congressional District,” the statement added. “Those of us that remain on staff do so for the sole purpose of ensuring that as many of those obligations are fulfilled as possible.”
MANHATTAN DA OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO SWALWELL OVER SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
The allegations have upended Swalwell’s California gubernatorial campaign, a race he was leading. He has been bleeding support, including from the top three Democrats in the House, who have called on him to suspend his campaign. Swalwell is also due to face an expulsion effort from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and is now under investigation from the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Despite the mounting controversy, Swalwell has maintained his innocence and has pledged to “fight” the allegations. He has called the claims “absolutely false” and has suggested they were politically motivated, given the gubernatorial primary is two months away.
