White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller on Tuesday claimed that Democrats keep “blackmail files” for when it suits them, following a push to oust Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) from his seat due to allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault.
“The real story here is how the Democrat Party controls its members through blackmail. It’s got a blackmail file on ALL of its politicians, and it uses them to leverage and control them until it’s time to release it,” Miller said during an appearance on Fox News’s “Jesse Waters Primetime.”
“That is how sick and twisted the Democrat Party is. That’s the next thread we’ve got to pull out here,” he added.
The Democratic Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Miller’s allegations. However, multiple Democrats have stepped forward to condemn Swalwell’s behavior.
Swalwell resigned from Congress earlier Tuesday after reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN late last week alleged that the congressman, once seen as the Democratic front-runner in the California governor’s race, had sexually assaulted a former aide.
CNN also reported that several other women had accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct. On Tuesday, another woman, Lonna Drewes, came forward with new allegations, alleging that the former lawmaker drugged, raped and choked her.
Swalwell (D-Calif.) is under investigation in Los Angeles over allegations of sexual misconduct following Drewes’s new allegation, the county’s district attorney confirmed to The Hill on Tuesday.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the investigation is in “preliminary stages” and “ongoing, and that it involves a female adult who reported being sexually assaulted by Swalwell in July 2018 in West Hollywood.
Responding to Drewes’s new allegations Tuesday, an attorney for Swalwell pushed back against the accusations.
“Congressman Eric Swalwell categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him,” Sara Azari, Swalwell’s attorney, said in a statement Tuesday, adding he would be pursuing “every available legal remedy.”
Ansari is also a legal analyst for The Hill’s sister network, NewsNation.
Some House Republicans have said the lawmaker had a long-standing reputation for inappropriate behavior toward women.
“Every member in Congress knows not to let any young staffer around Swalwell or Matt Gaetz, it’s not a secret there,” former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”
Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown (D) shared similar remarks.
“No, I’m not surprised, frankly, because there have been rumors after rumors after rumors, his colleague in Washington pretty much said that. That’s what Adam Schiff said, that’s what Nancy Pelosi said,” Brown told ABC 7.
However, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) denied being aware of any accusations against Swalwell.
“The young woman who has made serious allegations against Congressman Swalwell must be respected and heard,” Pelosi recently wrote in a statement shared by her communications director on social platform X.
“This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability,” Pelosi, who is not running for reelection in November, continued in the statement. “As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that this is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued a proclamation on Tuesday setting the date for a special election to fill the remainder of Swalwell’s (D-Calif.) term for Aug. 18.
