General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNo elected Democrat should be forced to resign unless convicted of a felony.
Republicans have a president with 34 felonies who remains in office and who is busy erecting monuments to himself all over Washington
demmiblue
(39,782 posts)Mossfern
(4,726 posts)Need I say more?
The timing of this is suspect.
dalton99a
(94,425 posts)EdmondDantes_
(1,874 posts)That's a pattern of behavior. And it wasn't until the 7th that there was a serious push for him to resign.
LisaL
(47,446 posts)And they all went away right after he resigned. Other than the original photo (purpose of which clearly was a joke as far as I am concerned) I also don't recall any evidence provided. Did anything good come out of it?
SonOfNebanaube
(126 posts)When we find out that Trump offered them fuck you money?
EdmondDantes_
(1,874 posts)Don't invent conspiracies.
Can you provide an example of 8 women who accused a man who was later found to have been the victim of a frame job?
Earthrise
(15,755 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 11, 2026, 06:11 PM - Edit history (1)
showing group photos of him in which he was pointing to her breasts in a clear attempt to be comic.
Swalwell has admitted that he's cheated on his wife and he now has 4 women speaking out about being sexually harassed - they are reporting specific details about repeated occasions. The woman who is accusing him of rape has contemporaneous corroboration of the event - she reported sexual abuse to a health care provider within a week of the event.
I love Al and I'm still angry that Dem leadership believed the single, weak accuser with clear ties to the Republican party.
Katy Porter is Elizabeth Warren's protege. I trust her judgment about the accusers. I do not believe she would play this dirty of a trick to get the seat. Katy will be brilliant as a Governor.
In terms of political fallout, Swalwell will be replaced by a Dem house member whether it's Newsom's choice or in an election.
I get that men can have their live's ruined by false allegations. As additional evidence is being released - including sexual texts from Swalwell to his women staff members - it looks, to me, more and more like the case made against Mario Cuomo.
SonOfNebanaube
(126 posts)EdmondDantes_
(1,874 posts)Also nobody accused him of cheating on his wife. He was accused of groping. That Franken defenders have to misrepresent the facts doesn't help the case.
Wifes husband
(732 posts)Democrats should try to stand for something. What republicans will stand for should not be a benchmark for us.
WhiskeyGrinder
(27,014 posts)not a fan of "republicans hold themselves to lower standards so we should too"
Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)But barring proof, a previously repressed memory of wrongdoing is no reason to destroy a dedicated progressive and liberal Democratic Congressman.
Scrivener7
(59,684 posts)Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)I saw her interview on television news program, her identity hidden.
Going by my memory: She said she had no conscious memory, but remembered details as she was recently prompted by others, including the interviewer.
Scrivener7
(59,684 posts)Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)Heres an interview from CNN the clip is from 20 minutes ago, but I recognize the woman in shadow from the close up on her hands seems like the footage was the same yesterday.
Scrivener7
(59,684 posts)She implied she was drugged and she only remembered flashes of what happened.
Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)Other than that, why should her word be sufficient to destroy Swalwell?
Scrivener7
(59,684 posts)I didn't hear her say anything about memories that returned with prompting
What she said was that she remembered only flashes of what happened.
I don't think most are going to go on her word alone. There are others coming forward. And we can reverse your question to ask why should his word be sufficient to let him get away with ruining her life?
More will likely come out on this, I think. At the very least, HIS words admit that something happened, which shows a profound lack of judgment if you want to be a governor.
Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)Until theres proof or an admission of guilt, I will stand with Swalwell. Its a question of loyalty to a pol with a 20-year career of public service.
Unlike so many political leaders, Swalwell stood up to Trump, Bondi, Patel and the rest of the traitors. The billionaires behind them can afford to do anything crooked under the Sun, including manufacturing witnesses.
dalton99a
(94,425 posts)Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)Whatever happened to Al Franken?
SocialDemocrat61
(7,729 posts)so he didn't need a day in court.
WhiskeyGrinder
(27,014 posts)SocialDemocrat61
(7,729 posts)a lovely brownstone on the East Side too.
LisaL
(47,446 posts)Did we gain anything out of it?
WhiskeyGrinder
(27,014 posts)LeftInTX
(34,481 posts)Bluetus
(2,908 posts)The timing of these things does reflect badly on the accusers and our system.
Wiz Imp
(10,105 posts)I'm not aware that any texts or pictures have been released publicly. If they do indeed exist, they need to be released.
MorbidButterflyTat
(4,571 posts)People are referring to texts and pictures that haven't even been released publicly?
Unbelievable, and yet, not.
LeftInTX
(34,481 posts)
?xmt=AQF0yANmKVaF-X_PWhprQM7Mo4_fMSGIMfZ0lJypxtfTXpCU4-HkG069737JvAZwPOSEXQsi&slof=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Parkhomenko
CNN also reviewed messages between her and Swalwell, including a photo he sent her that matches footage of him during a CNN interview in her city on the night they met in person.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs
Wiz Imp
(10,105 posts)Why not release the messages? I'm sorry, but "just trust us, we at CNN have seen them" is not good enough. If they have the evidence, then release it. Names and other sensitive info can be redacted to protect privacy. Until evidence is produced publicly, it's an unproven allegation.
(I'm assuming CNN does have the so called "proof", so in my mind, with such explosive allegations, journalistic standards demand they release evidence of that "proof". )
LeftInTX
(34,481 posts)It comes a point where no one will believe the media anyway.
Scrivener7
(59,684 posts)I was waiting for more information and more has come out which is damning.
FloridaBlues
(4,677 posts)SheltieLover
(80,913 posts)Wtf. Why did these women accuse him now? I'm not saying he is innocent, this just reeks of rat fuckery to me.
dalton99a
(94,425 posts)tulipsandroses
(8,275 posts)As far as Swalwell - I think he should drop his bid for governor for the sake of the people of California, he should not let his ego get in the way.
Just as Tim Walz dropped his bid when he realized that the fraud accusations would be a distraction.
I don't think Swalwell should resign his seat just yet. If evidence comes out - texts, photographs - that proves he committed a crime or was a serial sexual harasser like Cuomo, then he should resign. If it turns out that he's another man that can't keep it in his pants - that is between him and his wife, and he should not resign.
Either way, these allegations should be taken seriously and should be investigated.
The timing is suspicious, but doesn't mean there isn't there there. Think Christine Blasey Ford. - Republicans probably thought the timing was suspicious then too.
We know both parties do opposition research. So even if republican opposition research found these women, doesn't necessarily mean they are lying.
LeftInTX
(34,481 posts)Politically, he really needed to drop out of the governor's race, for the sake for the race! There are 20 Dems in the race and they are in a jungle primary. Allow someone else to take the lead because we can't afford to have a Republican governor. He will still be on the ballot, but he won't have ads. If he stays and fights, that means more votes taken from a more qualified candidate. (Actually he is highly qualified, but the Dem power is diluted on this ticket!)
tulipsandroses
(8,275 posts)If there is proof that he sent pictures of his junk to a staffer and requested pics from the staffer, I don't see a way for him to effectively continue in congress either. Yeah I know the party of " family values, that claims to protect girls and women, does not care that trump is president. It is not something I want to emulate.
LeftInTX
(34,481 posts)His voice will not be effective as it was, but his vote matters.
Wifes husband
(732 posts)D_Master81
(2,602 posts)But also DOZENS on women who accused of inappropriate conduct and an adjudicated rapist.
dalton99a
(94,425 posts)Kid Berwyn
(24,569 posts)Donald John Trump of Queens NY admitted to being a sexual predator on the Howard Stern program in 2006.
Reminds me of how he mouthed, "fuck you," to the Detroit autoworker with integrity who called him a "pedophile protector."
Jeffrey Epstein met his match and wrote:
I told everyone from day one. evil beyond belief, mad, Epstein wrote of Trump in March 2018. he feels alone. and is nuts !!!
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/14/politics/epstein-emails-trump-kfile
Passages
(4,210 posts)Until then, they should not be subject to "damage control" hysteria.
Verifying accusations is not undercutting victims either.
travelingthrulife
(5,261 posts)Clouds Passing
(8,021 posts)RandomNumbers
(19,185 posts)than the accusations against Franken. (what I remember anyway)
Assuming some truth to it - Swalwell should help make arrangements to ensure safe passage of his seat to another Dem, and resign at the appropriate time to make that happen. And get some help for his issues.
Clouds Passing
(8,021 posts)Celerity
(54,560 posts)City Lights
(25,882 posts)RandiFan1290
(6,711 posts)and the accusation wasn't even true.
ETA: republicons and their 'centrist' allies prefer the status quo.
Jilly_in_VA
(14,428 posts)EVERYTHING has to be investigated carefully before you start calling for someone's head. You don't know what's real any more.
EdmondDantes_
(1,874 posts)Not just when it's against an easy villain, not when it's just in my political interests.
Martin68
(27,821 posts)LisaL
(47,446 posts)but right now we don't have any power in any of the branches of government. So what did these principles have gotten us?
Martin68
(27,821 posts)to win? I disagree. We will win in the end without sinking to their level. If we sink to their level there's no point in winning because we end up the same. Camus wrote that if you believe the end justifies the means, your end will be totally corrupted along the way. He had experience fighting the Nazis, so he knew what he was talking about.
ABC123Easy
(297 posts)Let's not Al Franken ourselves again. This isn't a fair fight.
Forcing out our best candidates is NOT how we defeat the GOP. These allegations should be investigated of course but in America, we're not guilty until proven otherwise.
Look at Tim Walz....dropped out of the governor's race because of a fake scandal the GOP made up! Let's not hurt ourselves ant longer.
dalton99a
(94,425 posts)ABC123Easy
(297 posts)justaprogressive
(6,959 posts)Double-standard per usual!
onenote
(46,172 posts)prior to his being convicted of a felony?
republianmushroom
(22,378 posts)berksdem
(923 posts)If this were a rethug we would all be calling for his removal. Cant have it both ways all the time.
mahatmakanejeeves
(70,076 posts)WizumbODaSage
(20 posts).... and for whatever combination of perfidies, mental challenges, losses of perspective, and mental pathologies which would explain HOW he would commit such actions post Clinton, post Weiner, post Spitzer. The finding THAT he committed such actions(not proved but oh hell what LONG road & we could use the next six months backing someone else!) requires too much sturm und drang for a party in this condition. Due process is due process but we don't need to accompany Eric to the door here.
MorbidButterflyTat
(4,571 posts)Ars Longa
(537 posts)Although it differs from Swalwells case, in that Gonzalez does admit to wrong doing, and
it is unclear if legal charges will be forwarded...
Swalwell should indeed drop out of the Gov race.
ES has maintained he is Innocent of the charges. If he wants to stay in Congress for 9 months,
that is, for the time being, within his rights.
The very serious allegations, and their validity, need thourough vetting before removing him!
(re; see Al Franken)
Skittles
(171,966 posts)I do agree, however, that it must be showcased just how hypocritical it is that the "party of family values" has a 34 time felon sex offender seditionist mass murderer as "president".