Swalwell campaign denies online claims that congressman behaved inappropriately with staffers

A spokesman for Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading Democratic candidate for California governor, on Tuesday denounced online claims that the congressman had inappropriate relationships with young congressional staff members.

“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” spokesman Micah Beasley said in a statement .

Allegations that Swalwell (D-Dublin) acted sexually inappropriately with young women have been swirling online for weeks, with the tempo growing in recent days as Democratic strategists, Washington, D.C., insiders and social media influencers posted about the allegations, including that he made these women sign nondisclosure agreements.

Cheyenne Hunt, a Laguna Hills attorney and executive director of a progressive advocacy group, and social media influencer Arielle Fodor, known online as Mrs. Frazzled, are among those publicizing the allegations online. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who has tangled with Swalwell in the past, also took to social media to amplify the allegations and question the California congressman’s behavior.

Swalwell’s campaign forcefully pushed back against the allegations, which have recently been circulated by conservative outlets such as the Washington Free Beacon and the California Globe

“In 13 years, no one in Eric Swalwell’s Congressional office has ever been asked to sign an NDA. Ever,” Beasley said in a statement that was first reported by Politico. “In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged. Ever.”

The Times has not independently corroborated reports of inappropriate behavior.

Swalwell, 45, did not respond to requests for comment.

An advisor to the congressman’s gubernatorial campaign said they felt they had to speak out now because of the brewing tempest weeks before ballots land in voters’ mailboxes in early May.

“We’re speaking out now because we have nothing to hide from,” this advisor said, asking for anonymity to speak candidly. “We know how the new media ecosystem works. We know how misinformation spreads. The facts of what they have put out don’t line up.”

This advisor said campaign employees are required to sign a privacy agreement to not disclose confidential strategic information, this person said. No employees have been asked to sign any agreement regarding Swalwell’s personnel behavior, this person said.

“People are coming at him from both sides of the aisle … because he’s the front runner,” this person said.

“Smearing survivors with claims that they “teamed up with MAGA” is morally repugnant,” wrote Hunt on X after Swalwell’s team responded.

Swalwell entered the campaign to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom in November, and recent opinion polls show he is among the Democratic front-runners. Swalwell had the support of 13.7% of voters in an average of recent polling compiled by Real Clear Politics, behind only Republican Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator who had an average of 14.7%

This is the second controversy Swalwell has faced in recent days.

Late last month, he accused President Trump of trying to sway the governor’s race based on reports that the FBI could release documents related to a decade-old investigation about his association with an alleged Chinese spy.

The investigation centered on Swalwell’s ties to a suspected intelligence operative, Christine Fang, or Fang Fang, who worked as a volunteer raising money for his congressional campaign. Swalwell cut off ties to Fang in 2015 after intelligence officials briefed him and other members of Congress about Chinese efforts to infiltrate the legislative body.

Swalwell was never accused of wrongdoing. In an interview with The Times in November, he said he was cleared by the FBI and a GOP-led House Ethics Committee of any impropriety in his ties to Fang.

FBI Director Kash Patel directed agents in the bureau’s San Francisco office to redact the case files for public release, according to a report by the Washington Post, a highly unusual move to release case files tied to a investigation that did not result in criminal charges.

Swalwell’s attorneys filed a cease and desist letter with Patel and the FBI. No documents have been released as of Tuesday afternoon.

Times staff writer Melody Gutierrez contributed to this report.