An lawyer representing Rep. Eric Swalwell (D) questioned the credibility and motive of a number of ladies’s sexual assault and misconduct allegations in opposition to his consumer — and California gubernatorial candidate — throughout a heated interview Saturday morning.
“I’m telling you that I’m assessing the credibility of the claims which can be being made, the timing of the allegations, and it raises eyebrows,” Elias Dabaie informed CNN’s Elex Michaelson, noting that the allegations have been made 25 days out from the California governor’s election.
The allegations from a former Swalwell staffer have been first reported by The San Francisco Chronicle. She claimed situations of the congressman sending her pictures of his genitals and asking her for nudes in return whereas she was 21 years previous and dealing for him in 2019.
The previous staffer additional claimed that on at the very least two events, he sexually assaulted her whereas she was too drunk to consent.
CNN detailed extra accusations from three ladies who’d related with Swalwell on social media in an article revealed shortly after the Chronicle’s report.
Swalwell has since denied the claims. Dabaie doubled down after Michaelson grilled him on whether or not or not he believes all of the accusers are mendacity.
“Many of those allegations are from ladies who declare that the wrongdoing befell a few years in the past, and in these years, the proof I’ve seen demonstrates that these ladies, sure of them, have reached out to the congressman on a number of events, wishing him nothing however the very best, supporting his marketing campaign, saying that they’d vote for him for governor, asking for references for jobs attending social occasions with him,” he mentioned.
Tom Williams through Getty Photographs
Michaelson pushed again on Dabaie, telling him, “There’s a protracted historical past and plenty of proof of sexual assault consultants who say that the victims typically return to the perpetrators.”
The bombshell allegations in opposition to Swalwell have sparked backlash from members of his personal occasion, with some calling on him to finish his gubernatorial bid. Nevertheless, Dabaie informed Michaelson that Swalwell intends to proceed his marketing campaign for governor.
“The notion that every one these individuals pulled their help, I think that there are political machinations behind the scenes explaining why the Democratic occasion has determined to attempt to consolidate the vote with the intention to make it possible for a Democratic candidate makes it previous the first. So I’m not stunned to see…” Dabaie mentioned earlier than Michaelson minimize in.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Michaelson interjected. “That’s one factor if we’re speaking in regards to the candidates which can be working in opposition to him. These are individuals who endorsed him. These are a few of his finest buddies in Congress.”
Michaelson continued to confront Swalwell’s lawyer about what potential motivation the congressman’s former supporters have for urging him to drop out. Dabaie known as it a potential “instance of a rush to judgment.”