Rep. Eric Swalwell faces fresh scrutiny as documents tied to his relationship with a woman suspected of spying are in the hands of the FBI, and new accusations from multiple women have surfaced as he runs for California governor.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is in the middle of two separate controversies that have converged at a bad time for his campaign. Federal agents have gathered documents about his interactions with a woman identified as Fang Fang, who was suspected of being a Chinese operative, and that material could be made public. Swalwell has pushed back, framing some reporting as political harassment while insisting he severed ties long ago once authorities alerted him.
That history alone would be enough to make a campaign nervous, but a second storm has arrived: accusations from women alleging inappropriate behavior. The rumors, amplified on social platforms, name a mix of employees, interns, and supporters as the purported targets. If those claims are supported with evidence, the political fallout will be immediate and messy for a frontrunner in a Democratic primary.
Public attention coalesced around Cheyenne Hunt, a Gen-Z activist, attorney, and former candidate who says she is coordinating with multiple women preparing to go public. Hunt says the alleged pattern involved Swalwell using his status as a mentor to exploit younger staff and supporters. The stories, if true, paint a picture of a powerful member of Congress taking advantage of relationships that began with career-building or fandom.
A Democratic activist says she is working with multiple women preparing to come forward with sexual harassment allegations against California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Cheyenne Hunt — a lawyer, one-time congressional candidate and executive director of Gen-Z for Change — revealed that she has been working with an unspecified number of women set to accuse Swalwell in multiple X posts early Monday morning. Swalwell is currently a leading candidate in the crowded race to succeed Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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The Gen Z activist also claimed that Swalwell was targeting “employees, interns, and fans” and acted “as a mentor just to exploit that power.”
“Other women needed to know that they were not alone and that someone had their backs if they came forward. After I spoke about my friend’s experience, many brave women came forward and shared their stories with me,” Hunt added in her X thread.
The lawyer noted that the women prepared to accuse Swalwell, who is married with three children, have “secured pro bono legal representation” and are “in the process of sharing information with reporters and ensuring that they are physically and legally safe.”
Hunt’s claims are serious and specific, and Swalwell’s camp has denied any inappropriate conduct. That denial is predictable, and in today’s political climate the response from allies and opponents is already deeply partisan. Republican voters and independent observers will watch whether the evidence supports the allegations or whether this collapses into another episode of partisan rumor and counterattack.
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign for governor denied on Tuesday that he had ever behaved inappropriately with female staffers, countering a number of left-leaning influencers and other social media accounts that have alleged without evidence that he has a record of improper behavior.
The decision by the California Democrat’s campaign to confront the claims is an unusually forceful move to rebut vague allegations that have not been vetted and published in the media or leveled by anyone claiming firsthand knowledge of the purported behavior.
“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,” said Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign, in a statement to POLITICO.
The denial comes as claims of wrongdoing have crescendoed on social media, primarily from a number of left-leaning online influencers. In public posts, these influencers say they have heard accounts from people who allege Swalwell engaged in inappropriate behavior as a member of Congress toward staff and other women. POLITICO hasn’t independently confirmed allegations of wrongdoing against Swalwell.
Democratic rivals are seizing any opening to attack a leading contender, and that dynamic will only intensify as the primary draws nearer. Lower-polling opponents see political benefit in turning the spotlight on Swalwell’s controversies instead of defending a party front-runner. Meanwhile, some colleagues express concern and call for caution so any accusers can feel safe coming forward.
Competitors for California’s governorship are ramping up their attacks on leading Democratic candidate Eric Swalwell after claims this week that the congressman had inappropriate conduct with younger women in his office and working on his campaigns.
Lower-polling candidates are hoping to use the allegations to gain traction. One of them, former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, reportedly sought out a media outlet to elaborate on his new attacks against Swalwell.
On social media last night, Villaraigosa, a Democrat, accused Swalwell of ducking an event by the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce to avoid answering questions about the allegations.
“If you want to be Governor, you can’t hide when the questions get tough,” the former mayor said. “He skipped today’s forum to avoid questions from reporters for the same reason he skipped 68% of his votes in Congress since announcing his run for Governor.”
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More competitive candidates are also making references. Former congresswoman Katie Porter is one of the three top Democrats in the race but has largely flown under the radar as the other two, Swalwell and billionaire Tom Steyer, have lobbed attacks against each other.
Porter told CNN she was concerned about the claims against Swalwell.
“With regard to Congressman Swalwell, I have seen allegations coming from women staffers. They are very, very troubling allegations,” she said. “It is those women’s stories to tell when they are ready, and I hope that they feel safe and supported if they choose to do so.”
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Even candidates from the other party have weighed in. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco called on Swalwell to drop out of the race.
“When you elect people without integrity, without power, and you put them in positions of power, this is what happens,” Bianco said. “Swalwell was only popular because of his hatred of Donald Trump.”
As these fragments of reporting and allegation circulate, the legal teams, reporters, and campaigns will sort through what is provable. Voters deserve clear answers backed by evidence, not rumor or tribal spin. For now, the story is still unfolding and could reshape the governor’s race depending on what documents and witnesses reveal.
We’ll keep an eye on how the FBI material and any accusers’ evidence land in public view, and whether Swalwell’s campaign survives the twin controversies. Nothing is set in stone, and both claims and denials will be judged by how well they can be substantiated rather than by which side repeats them louder.
