By Yoyo Rita
On April 12, 2026, Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell announced he will suspend his campaign for California governor,[1] after a former employee of his district office accused him of sexual assault. Specifically, it is alleged that Swalwell assaulted this individual while he was her boss on two occasions when she was too intoxicated to consent[2]. Media sources including CNN also reported three other women who accused him of sexual misconduct, including sending unsolicited sexual photos of himself and unconsensually kissing them, though it is unclear if the alleged conduct occurred in his capacity as these individuals’ boss or otherwise.
Swalwell has been in office as US Congressman since 2013, and his recently announced Democratic candidacy was slated to be a frontrunner in the California governmental race. In an official statement, Swalwell said that the allegations against him are “absolutely false,” but that his fight against the allegations would best be undertaken outside of a candidacy for governor. Members of Congress from both parties have called for his resignation from Congress, which he has not yet addressed publicly. He did not indicate he plans to resign in his official statement denying the allegations.
As a result of these allegations, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office recently launched an official investigation into Rep. Swalwell.[3] The investigation is ongoing, and the MDAO made a public announcement asking for survivors or individuals with more information to come forward.
Influential politicians such as Swalwell being accused of serious misconduct in the workplace (and in this case, serious crimes) serve as an important reminder that the incidence of sexual harassment in the workplace remains a prominent issue, despite the #MeToo movement and related legislation in recent years. According to a 2024 report[4] by the Newcomb Institute of Tulane University, the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace between 2018-2024 has seen “no significant change”, even with “the increase in legislative protections for workplace sexual harassment in the past five years.”
Employers cannot assume that, just because awareness around sexual harassment has risen, sexual harassment has automatically decreased in the workplace. Unfortunately, the data reflects that sexual harassment in the workplace remains a serious issue that can impact employees, their safety, and the wider company culture.
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[1] https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/some-swalwells-fellow-democrats-urge-him-quit-congress-amid-sexual-assault-2026-04-12/
[2] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/manhattan-district-attorneys-office-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegation-rcna293804
[3] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/manhattan-district-attorneys-office-swalwell-sexual-assault-allegation-rcna293804
[4] https://newcomb.tulane.edu/sites/default/files/MeToo%202024%20Report%20_1_0.pdf