Representative Eric Swalwell's campaign for California governor is in freefall after multiple women came forward with sexual misconduct allegations, prompting a criminal investigation and a mass exodus of political support.
The BBC reported that the Manhattan district attorney's office is now investigating the abuse claims against the Democratic congressman. CNN detailed accusations from four women, including a former staffer who alleges Swalwell raped her. The San Francisco Chronicle also published the ex-staffer's account, bringing the story to Swalwell's home-state audience.
The political fallout has been swift and severe. Axios reported that Swalwell has lost all 21 of his endorsements from Democratic colleagues in Congress, a near-unprecedented collapse in support. CBS News reported that House Democrats are calling on him to withdraw from the governor's race entirely.
Swalwell has not yet withdrawn from the race. The investigation by the Manhattan DA's office signals that the matter has moved beyond the political arena and into potential criminal territory, adding a new dimension of legal peril to an already devastating series of revelations.