Disgraced Eric Swalwell still messaging former staffers on Snapchat despite political fallout

Eric Swalwell, the disgraced former Congressman, is still using Snapchat as a channel for private communications despite it being the app that led to the end of his political career.

The revelation came Friday in a report from the New York Times detailing Swalwell’s use of social media.

“Mr. Swalwell is still using Snapchat. As recently as this week,” the Times wrote. “Mr. Swalwell communicated directly with a former intern on the app and asked her why she had taken a screenshot of their chat history.”

The Times said the details were provided to them through images, though they said the new messages were not sexual in nature.

At least six women have publicly or anonymously accused Swalwell of misconduct spanning sexual assault allegations, inappropriate workplace conduct, and unsolicited explicit communications, including claims involving Snapchat exchanges that allegedly included sexual messages and explicit images.

One of the central allegations comes from a former staffer who was 21 at the time and worked closely with Swalwell while he was a 38-year-old member of Congress. 

She said she helped plan events, arranged his travel, and drove him around his district, and that he increasingly brought her into his political orbit by praising her work, including meetings with political figures.

According to her account, the professional relationship shifted into private messaging on Snapchat, where she alleges Swalwell began sending sexual comments and explicit images, including photos of himself. 

She also said he asked her to send nude photos of herself, which she did, describing the attention as flattering but also unsettling given the power dynamic.

The woman’s mother later told CNN that her daughter mentioned Snapchat communication with Swalwell, which she and her husband found inappropriate, though the mother said she was not initially told the exchanges were sexual in nature. 

Because Snapchat messages are automatically deleted, the former staffer said she had no screenshots or records of the conversations.

Some people view Snapchat as a “red flag” because its disappearing messages are often associated with secrecy and deceptive behavior, earning it a reputation among some as “the cheating app.”

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In describing the dynamic, the former staffer told the New York Times, “There was Eric the Snapchatting guy, and then there was Eric my boss. It was like two different people completely.”

Other women have also made allegations ranging from claims of non-consensual physical contact to sexual assault accusations, including claims involving intoxication and alleged drug-facilitated encounters.

Swalwell has denied all allegations and has not been charged in connection with any of the claims.

Separately, Swalwell is also facing questions over campaign spending, including reported expenditures despite no active campaign, with filings listing travel, lodging, meals, alcohol and childcare-related costs.