Several national politicians are withdrawing their support for Congressman Eric Swalwell and urging him to drop out of the California governor's race after two news organizations published claims by an ex-staffer who says she was sexually assaulted while working for him.
Three Democratic House leaders, including minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, whip Katherine Clark, and caucus chair Pete Aguilar, in a statement called on Swalwell to drop his Democratic bid for governor. They are also calling for a probe into the claims by the ex-staffer and three other women.
"Following the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, we call for a swift investigation into these incidents and for the Congressman to immediately end his campaign to be California’s next Governor," the Democrats said. "This is unacceptable of anyone — certainly not an elected official — and must be taken seriously."
The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported on the sexual assault claim, while CNN also reported on the claims by the other three women. Those women say that Swalwell, the leading Democratic frontrunner in the polls, was sexually inappropriate with them, sending them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.
