Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (CA-14) rapid descent from being a member of Congress and a top 2026 California gubernatorial candidate to being neither has been something else to watch play out in real time.
It went from allegations of sexual harassment to allegations of sexual assault, to allegations that he violated immigration and employment laws related to his children’s nanny in a matter of just a few days. DHS immediately began investigating the immigration law complaints, and the Manhattan DA’s office commenced an investigation into the sexual assault allegations.
As we also reported, some GOP members of the House vowed to pursue Swalwell’s expulsion amid a recently announced House Ethics Committee probe into the sexual misconduct claims. The embattled Democrat, after days of denials, revealed on Monday afternoon that he was resigning from Congress.
SEE ALSO: The ‘Who Knew What and When’ Phase of the Swalwell Scandal Begins, and I Have Thoughts
Amid the various reports about Swalwell has been rumblings about his bestie, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), whom the disgraced soon-to-be-former Congressman once described as his “best friend in the world”:
Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell in November 2025:
“Tonight you get to meet my best friend in the world, Ruben Gallego.” pic.twitter.com/eXQe2mf7ux
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) April 10, 2026
Photos of them doing some shirtless camelback riding in Qatar in 2021 during a trip with their wives (who were next to them but not shirtless) would seem to further confirm the best friends thing:
Hmm. I seem to recall Ruben Gallego and his boy Eric Swalwell riding camels on a junket to Qatar. When they were shutting down American businesses during the pandemic.https://t.co/6JCmtKzolH https://t.co/2hLZJQcbsK pic.twitter.com/io4UhTuLrj
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) May 12, 2025
Gallego, I should note, was the chairman of Swalwell’s failed 2020 presidential campaign. He also infamously filed for divorce in 2016 from his first wife when she was nine months pregnant, and at a time when he was still a member of the House of Representatives.
For those who may not be aware, when the sexual harassment allegations first surfaced early last week, Gallego’s first response appeared to be to run interference for Swalwell:
Oof. @RubenGallego tried a couple days ago to preemptively knock down the allegations about his good friend Eric Swalwell (of topless Qatari camel ride fame) pic.twitter.com/PDAJfRvCBX
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) April 10, 2026
As the week went on, however, and the sexual assault allegations were reported, Gallego began a shift in tone, talking about “regrets,” about being “shocked,” and withdrawing his endorsement of Swalwell’s gubernatorial run:
I’ve read the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting and I take it seriously.
What is described is indefensible. Women who come forward with accounts like this deserve to be heard with respect, not questioned or dismissed.
I regret having come to his defense on social media prior to knowing all the information. I am equally as shocked and upset about what has transpired.
I am withdrawing my endorsement of Congressman Swalwell, effective immediately.
On Monday afternoon, we saw another shift from Gallego, stating he supported the House Ethics Committee investigation, and saying he believed Swalwell “should be expelled.” Also included in his statement was a carefully inserted denial of knowing about any of the vile things Swalwell has been accused of:
I support the ethics committee’s investigation and believe Eric Swalwell is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress. He should be expelled from Congress.
I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment, and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell.
I trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew.
The women who have come forward have shown courage. They deserve to be believed, to be supported, and to see justice served.
Interestingly, Gallego’s tweet was posted about an hour and fifteen minutes after GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) referred to an alleged video of someone who she described as a sex worker who presumably was with Swalwell, and asking for more information on who was filming it:
I am being told there will be more disgusting stuff coming out on Swallwell in the next 24 hours. For the members of Congress who are concerned about optics on expelling Swalwell, I think after the information drops you will be thinking otherwise.
Eric, why dont you tell us a…
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 13, 2026
There was also this:
In a brief interview outside the Capitol tonight, Gallego told me and @migold that Swalwell led a “double life” and he never suspected he was pursuing staff as has been alleged. pic.twitter.com/fU5txk0qUL
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) April 13, 2026
Is anyone buying Gallego’s statement denying he knew anything? Prof. Jonathan Turley sure isn’t:
The jury is in: Sen. Ruben Gallego wins the 2026 Claude Rains award. Swalwell’s friend, campaign chair, and travel mate on luxurious foreign junkets is officially and publicly “shocked”: “I am equally as shocked and upset about what has transpired.” I bet. https://t.co/EQnqTwTiTE
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 13, 2026
With skepticism growing about Gallego’s “shock” and his denials of knowing anything, it’s time for the mainstream media to kick into “just asking questions” mode with Ruben Gallego, as they would with Republicans. I don’t have any faith whatsoever that this will happen, but that doesn’t mean that the questions others have will go away. In fact, what it probably means is that the questions will get louder, as they should.
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