In light of disturbing allegations, hundreds of contributors who collectively provided $1.5 million to Eric Swalwell’s political campaign are now seeking refunds.
Swalwell, 45, who aspired to become California’s next Governor, faces accusations of sexual assault from five women, among them a former staff member.
Once a leading Democratic contender to succeed Gavin Newsom as the governor of the nation’s most populated state, Swalwell’s campaign swiftly unraveled after explosive allegations began surfacing on April 10.
Two days later, Swalwell took to social media to refute the claims and announce his withdrawal from the gubernatorial race. “I will contest these grave, false allegations—but that is my personal battle, not one for my campaign,” he stated.
In the aftermath, over 200 individuals who supported his campaign financially have requested their donations back, as revealed by an internal campaign document obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle.
According to the publication, Swalwell’s team has been flooded with emails from ‘outraged’ donors demanding reimbursements.
One donor, Mike Hsieh, told the Chronicle that he gave $250 to the campaign in early February and has been trying to recoup the funding since the allegations were aired.
Hsieh said he reached out to the Swalwell campaign, and Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue, who directed him to a general campaign email address.
Hundreds of people who donated a collective $1.5 million to Eric Swalwell’s campaign have demanded their money back in light of the sordid allegations against him
Three women have spoken on the record about their alleged experiences with Swalwell, including Lonna Drewes (pictured above), Ally Sammarco, and Annika Albrecht
The donor reached out again after reading about how Swalwell had paid a lawyer $40,000 to shoot down the allegations on his behalf during television appearances.
‘I was very much incensed. It feels truly unjust because it has nothing to do with the campaign,’ Hsieh told the Chronicle. ‘This seems to me to be illegal, or at least it should be.’
Campaign staffers replied to Hsieh saying they had not been authorized to give refunds.
‘We apologize, as this is not the update we were hoping to provide,’ they wrote in an email. ‘If it were up to me and my former colleagues, refunds would be the top priority.’
Swalwell, who seems to be in significant debt, appears to be relying on campaign funds to cover his mounting legal fees.
The Daily Mail also revealed that Swalwell splurged cash from a previous campaign on a luxury vacation to Puerto Rico in 2021 with now-Senator Ruben Gallego.
The first allegation against Swalwell was aired by a former employee of Swalwell’s who spoke anonymously with the Chronicle on April 10.
Three women have spoken on the record about their alleged experiences with Swalwell, including Ally Sammarco and Annika Albrecht, who are pictured left and center
She said the Democratic Congressman sexually assaulted her in 2019, when he was her boss, and again in 2024.
The alleged victim said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex in both cases and did not go to police at the time because she was afraid she would not be believed.
Since the Chronicle story was published, at least four more women have made claims against the politician, accusing him of rape, sexual assault, and sending unsolicited messages and photographs.
Three women have spoken on the record about their alleged experiences with Swalwell, including Lonna Drewes, Ally Sammarco, and Annika Albrecht.
Drewes, of California, told a news conference she believes Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018 after the opening of a restaurant.
She alleged that Swalwell choked her during the assault. ‘While he was choking me, I lost consciousness. I thought I died,’ she said.
Social media influencer Sammarco said she received unsolicited nude photographs from Swalwell on Snapchat after initially reaching out to him on X to discuss politics.
Swalwell has been married to Brittany Ann Watts, a sales director at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, since October 2016, and they share three children together
Albrecht said Swalwell also sent her ‘sexually inappropriate’ messages on Snapchat.
‘For me, justice won’t be until he can’t ever harm a woman ever again, and he has faced the consequences for the women that he has harmed,’ she told CBS News.
Swalwell has maintained that the allegations are false. He said it would be unfair to his constituents if he remained in Congress while he is distracted from his duties.
Attorney Sara Azari released a statement on Swalwell’s behalf saying he ‘categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him.’
Swalwell has been married to Brittany Watts, a sales director at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, since October 2016, and they share three children together.
The Daily Mail has contacted Azari and the Swalwell campaign about donor requests for refunds.
