Emotional Gallego says he heard ‘rumors’ of ‘flirty’ behavior by Swalwell but denies knowledge of sexual assault allegations

(CNN) — Sen. Ruben Gallego, one of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s closest friends in Congress, insisted at an emotional news conference Tuesday that he had been lied to and manipulated by a man with whom he had a close personal and professional relationship.

But Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, acknowledged to CNN that he had heard “rumors” over the years of Swalwell being “flirty” — and that he should have confronted him about those rumors when they first came to light. He said he chose not to believe the rumors about the congressman, a top political ally, because of the good-natured way Swalwell behaved with him and in front of his family and children — and that none of the rumors pertained to allegations of sexual assault or harassment.

Pressed on whether he had seen Swalwell in any compromising positions, he responded, “I didn’t see that. But look, we all heard rumors in Washington, DC, about Eric Swalwell for many years,” adding, “My family again was with him all the time, with his wife, with his kids, and we saw a different side of Eric.”

Swalwell resigned from Congress Tuesday as he faced the threat of an expulsion vote. The swift political downfall came after CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle reported that a former staffer accused him of sexual assault. The California Democrat has strongly denied the allegations against him.

Gallego, asked if he should have acted differently when he first heard “rumors” about Swalwell’s behavior several years ago, conceded, “I should have talked to him about it.”

“I think I should have told him, you know, this is what I’m hearing out there. And I think you should know about it, and if you’re doing it, stop. You know, I fell into the trap again because I think I was too inside the family bubble,” he said.

Gallego insisted he had never heard of or witnessed evidence of sexual assault or harassment connected to Swalwell. But when allegations were reported Friday, he said he called Swalwell and told him to “get out” of Congress and the California governor’s race. Swalwell dropped out of the governor’s race on Sunday.

Pressed on how he did not know about any of the allegations, considering he chaired Swalwell’s 2020 presidential campaign and had close insight into his political orbit, Gallego responded, “This man led a double life. He lied to us. He lied to his family, lied to his constituents.”

CNN has reached out to Swalwell for comment.

Gallego said he had recently asked Swalwell about “rumors” about his conduct picking up steam on the internet during his gubernatorial campaign. But the California Democrat denied it, he said, telling him it was “the same thing they tried to do to you in 2024,” referring to Gallego’s Arizona Senate campaign.

The Arizona Democrat faced scrutiny from Republicans in his highly competitive Senate race over his 2016 divorce from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego when she was pregnant with their son.

“Unfortunately, right now, the same people that were attacking me in 2024 are using this horrible situation, this horrible situation that’s been thrown upon these women, thrown upon Eric Swalwell’s family, and using this as an excuse to quickly attack me, lie about me and my family. I will not take that lightly,” Gallego said.

The congressman denied having ever been unfaithful in his own marriage.

In his final conversation with Swalwell after the reports surfaced last week, Gallego said he was “very frank,” telling him “you need to get out” after the first allegations were published. He said Swalwell denied the allegations, but Gallego recalled telling him, “Doesn’t matter. Get out, go back to your family. Take care of your family.”

He said he has not talked to Swalwell since then and does “absolutely not” plan on reaching out.

“If he’s willing to lie to his family, and he’s willing to betray, you know, his family, his friends, his constituents, there is no friendship. There is no friendship,” Gallego told reporters.

When Gallego, who has hinted at his own higher political aspirations and a potential 2028 run, was asked why he should be trusted, he acknowledged, “Look, I messed up. I’m human. I trusted this man. I trusted him to watch my children,” accusing Swalwell of “preying” on his vulnerabilities during a “bruising” Senate campaign.

“I was a loyal friend to someone that just was not loyal to me,” he said.

Asked if this situation would impact his decision over whether to launch a 2028 presidential campaign, he railed against “political operatives” using the incident as “cover to attack” him and his family.”

“That’s not even a thing right now,” he said of the 2028 race, adding, “The most important thing is I want to protect my family. I want to protect my family’s reputation.”

Gallego told CNN he would release text messages with Swalwell and any other materials requested by investigators in potential “legal proceedings,” later telling reporters, “We have nothing to hide. I’m being completely transparent and honest with you about what I knew when I knew it.” He suggested, however, that he would not release those messages unless asked by authorities.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said Saturday it is investigating the allegation of sexual assault the former staffer said took place in New York. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in California told CNN in a statement Saturday it is “evaluating whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred within” the Bay Area county, where the same woman accused Swalwell of a separate act of sexual misconduct she said took place in 2019.

Acknowledging that Swalwell’s resignation doesn’t bring “closure” to his alleged victims, Gallego says he plans to speak with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about creating an “independent organization” that protects staffers who want to come forward about sexual misconduct in the workplace.

His message to the women who have come out publicly with allegations against Swalwell? “I’m sorry that we, you know, we didn’t listen closer,” he said.

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