Politics

Congressman Eric Swalwell's run for governor of California has come to a screeching halt ... amid allegations of sexual assault.

Swalwell made the announcement on X, writing, "I am suspending my campaign for Governor."

He continued ... "To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made -- but that’s my fight, not a campaign's."

Congressman Eric Swalwell is dealing with a growing pile of legal headaches ... he's now being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.

New complaints allege Swalwell employed a Brazilian nanny whose work authorization may have expired, according to KTLA. What's more ... the gubernatorial candidate allegedly didn't exactly follow the rulebook when it came to paying her. The au-pair, Amanda Raissa Barbosa, allegedly stayed on the job while getting paid in a way that may have sidestepped labor and immigration laws.

Now, federal agencies are taking a closer look. DHS has reportedly been looped in to investigate the claims, adding even more pressure to an already messy situation.

Congressman Eric Swalwell is dealing with more than just sexual misconduct allegations ... he's now got an angry husband on his case after Swalwell allegedly bombarded his wife with explicit pics and showed up near their home.

Adam Parkhomenko -- husband to influencer Ally Sammarco -- posted Saturday ... "If Eric Swalwell or his attorney makes a single statement that disparages my wife, I will be filing a lawsuit against him."

He added, "I've already made clear that if he believes anything I've said is untrue, he should sue me immediately."

"Saturday Night Live" unloaded on Donald Trump last night ... but honestly, nobody was safe.

The show's cold open imagined Trump -- played by James Austin Johnson -- dialing up Tiger Woods ... and immediately regretting it. Instead of talking golf, Tiger drops a bombshell about his DUI and flipping his car, and Trump basically shrugs it off like, "should’ve told them we’re friends." Tiger -- played by Kenan Thompson -- responded that he did and it didn't work! Savage.

Next up ... Melania Trump, where things go from messy to straight-up unhinged. She floats the idea of giving a random speech denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump’s response? Says it sounds "a little insane."

And last but not least -- Pete Hegseth jumps into the mix -- portrayed as a war-hungry loose cannon giving wild updates about Iran, with jokes suggesting world leaders might actually prefer bombs over more U.S. negotiations.

President Donald Trump berated a reporter on the White House Lawn Saturday ... telling her she doesn't know a darn thing about Iran.

POTUS spoke to several reporters waiting for him outside the White House round 5 PM ET today ... and, one asked a question about why the Strait of Hormuz isn't open yet.

Check out the clip ... the prez is clearly unhappy about it -- and, he tells her "You know nothing" before asking which outlet she represents.

Eric Swalwell's senior staffers are distancing themselves from him ... while acknowledging not everyone has the means to do so.

Top staffers for Swalwell's congressional office and his gubernatorial campaign released a joint statement ... which begins with indignation over his alleged abusive behavior.

The two sides stand with their former colleague who accused Swalwell of raping her in 2024 and other women who have come forward and accused the congressman of sexual misconduct.

Eric Swalwell is the subject of an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney ... TMZ has confirmed.

The D.A.'s office acknowledged the investigation Saturday morning ... one day after CNN shared an interview with a staffer who spoke on the condition of anonymity about an incident during which Swalwell allegedly raped her.

In a statement to TMZ, the D.A.'s office shared, "We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division at 212-335-9373. Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner.”

Congressman Eric Swalwell released a minute long video defending himself hours after being accused of rape.

In the video, Eric stares into the camera saying, "I thought it was important you see and hear from me directly. These allegations of sexual assault are flat false" ... adding, "They did not happen. They have never happened."

He noted the accusations come on the eve of an election where he is the front runner. Eric added that he is not “perfect or a saint” and admits to making "mistake in judgement" in his past ... adding "Those mistake are between me and my wife. And to her, I apologize deeply for putting her in this position.”

Eric Swalwell's campaign for governor looks like it's on life support ... top Democrats are calling on him to drop out of the race as his campaign reportedly "implodes."

The congressman had gathered a ton of support from his fellow Dems in Congress -- but after a former staffer accused him of rape, that support quickly evaporated.

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said she's had a conversation with Swalwell, urging him to end his campaign, according to NBC News reporter Melanie Zanona ... so the allegations against him can be fully and fairly investigated.

A former staffer for Eric Swalwell told CNN the congressman raped her back in 2024.

CNN ran the interview Friday afternoon ... hiding the woman's face to protect her anonymity while she told a story about meeting up with Swalwell for a drink in 2024.

This woman says she went to the bathroom at one point in the evening and completely blacked out ... only remembering a snippet of the night's events -- during which she says she remembers trying to force Swalwell off of her and telling him she didn't consent to sex with him.

President Donald Trump's staff apparently doesn't have to worry about breaking federal law at all ... because a new report says he's offered to pardon them en masse, repeatedly.

The Wall Street Journal released a new report Friday ... claiming POTUS has repeatedly promised top administration officials he will pardon them before he leaves office in January 2029 -- usually jokingly, like when he reportedly said recently, "I'll pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval."

Unnamed administration officials told WSJ Trump often jokes about matters he later pursues seriously ... and the frequent references have led some to believe he might be genuinely considering the pardons. It's unclear why they'd need them.

Rep. Eric Swalwell -- who's running for Governor of California -- has been accused of sexual assault by a former staffer ... this according to a new report.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a woman, who says she had sexual encounters with the congressman while she worked for him, claims he sexually assaulted her twice ... when she was too intoxicated to give consent.

Swalwell called the allegations "false" and threatened "legal action" in a statement on Friday, saying ... "For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women."

California congressman and gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell is coming under fire for claims he's acted inappropriately with female staffers ... something he denies, but bailing on a town hall in the aftermath is raising eyebrows.

Several left-leaning influencers have recently made the unsubstantiated allegations, posting statements and videos on social media.

Swalwell's camp told POLITICO the claims are a "false, outrageous rumor" made by "flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists," saying the whole thing is an attempt to tank his gubernatorial run because he's "the frontrunner in this race."

Kamala Harris might take another crack at the Oval Office ... telling Reverend Al Sharpton she's thinking about launching a 2028 candidacy for president.

The former Vice President of the United States spoke at the National Action Network's conference in Manhattan on Friday ... and Sharpton came right out and asked if another run at the White House is in her future.

Harris laughs ... then confirms she's giving it some serious thought -- though she's clear she hasn't made a formal decision yet.

Melania Trump’s got a loyal voice backing her up ... because a top member of her staff is going to bat for her after her surprise Epstein denial speech to the nation yesterday.

Marc Beckman -- a senior advisor to the First Lady -- came in hot on "Fox & Friends" Friday morning, echoing the First Lady’s stance that she had no close ties to Jeffrey Epstein ... but said he’s over the chatter, firing off a direct message: "Enough is enough."

He didn’t stop there -- Beckman pushed hard for a full pivot, saying the public should be focusing on Melania’s achievements instead of rehashing Epstein rumors ... urging people to be in awe of her impact across the board.

First Lady Melania Trump’s surprise national address from the White House yesterday -- rebutting claims she was close friends with Jeffrey Epstein -- is already getting major pushback from survivors of the late convicted pedophile.

In a sharp statement released Thursday night by Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), a group of survivors firmly declared ... "Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony. Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice."

In her speech, Melania urged Congress to hold a public hearing so survivors can testify about Epstein’s crimes ... but "Survivors have done their part," the new statement reads.