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Two California Democrats have acknowledged they heard rumors about Eric Swalwell's alleged sexual misconduct over the years during CNN interviews Wednesday.
Rep. Sam Liccardo, D-Calif., told CNN's Wolf Blitzer he first heard the rumors when Swalwell announced his gubernatorial campaign.
"I first heard about the rumors when Swalwell announced his run for governor in November and knew political consultants who talk about what we call oppo files, these opposition records that political consultants compile, talking about Swalwell's sexual misconduct," Liccardo said.
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"At that time, nobody was talking about rape, as we're hearing now. It was not sexual assault, but clearly sexual misconduct, abuse of his position. And there's no question, I think, as Sen. Gallego said, rumors about that were going on for many, many years."
He wondered why action wasn't taken and why there weren't more questions asked about his behavior.
"And you can't act individually on rumors, but, certainly, when you have a swirl of rumors like this, it raises the question, 'Why wasn't there action taken?'" Liccardo said. "And equally important, not just what happened here in D.C., but in California, why did so many powerful groups and individuals get behind a man that had so many swirling rumors of sexual misconduct? Why weren't important questions asked?"
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat running in the California governor's race, also acknowledged rumors in an interview with CNN's Pamela Brown on Wednesday.
"I think many of us had heard the rumors as well. Never seen any corroboration. But, certainly, I think that the word had gone out. Look, these are public servants," Becerra responded.
"They should know they're going to be held accountable. So, one way or the other, the facts are going to come forward. And they should. There are a lot of survivors who have now come forward. They deserve the truth."
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He was also asked about Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who was one of Swalwell's closest friends in Congress, who said their tight-knit relationship "clouded" his judgment regarding rumors that swirled about the ex-lawmaker for years in Washington, D.C.
"Eric Swalwell lied to all of us," Gallego said at a press conference in his office Tuesday. "He lied to the most powerful people in this country, and they trusted him. They trusted him with some of the most sensitive spots in our government, whether it was on Judiciary Committee, Intel Committee, impeaching Donald Trump.
"And that clouded my judgment, my friendship with him," he continued. "Our family's friendship together with him clouded my judgment. And I was wrong. I deeply, deeply regret that."
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Brown asked Becerra if Gallego's explanation was defendable.
"I'm not going to try to put myself in Sen. Gallego's shoes, but I will tell you this. There has not been enough accountability. That's a fact," Becerra said.
"And we're going to have to see accountability go all the way through. The fact that Congressman Swalwell has left the race for governor, the fact that he's resigned his position as a member of Congress, those are all, I believe, the right moves. But that doesn't mean that accountability is done. The business of accountability means getting to the truth for these survivors."
Swalwell has denied all the allegations but has acknowledged mistakes were made.
