ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said he was disgusted to have interviewed disgraced California Congressman Eric Swalwell, blasting the politician not only over serious allegations of sexual harassment, but also for allegedly cheating on his wife. He accused the congressman of knowing how much of a scumbag he was behind the scenes, yet still choosing to put himself “front and center” in California’s gubernatorial race.
He also acknowledged that no matter how the Democrats respond, it is a poor reflection on the Democratic Party.
Stephen A. Smith expresses “DISGUST” after having Eric Swalwell on his show.
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) April 14, 2026
Says there is “no way around” how “bad” this looks.
“Accusations were enough for Swalwell to go after folks on the right. And now he’s facing the same situation.”
“You’re the Democrats; this is bad.”… https://t.co/Kqvnwb2eSI pic.twitter.com/ccf5wrUrv6
"The accusations were enough for Swalwell to go after folks on the right. And now he’s facing the same situation. You’re the Democrats, this is bad," Smith said. "They were right to sit up there and call for him to cancel his campaign for the gubernatorial seat. It’s clearly evident that, as a married man, he was looking to get his groove on elsewhere. That much is clear. That he put himself in a position to be perceived as the kind of individual? There is no way around that.
"And my disgust, as a person who had him as a guest on this show, is that, bro, you knew what you were doing behind the scenes," he continued. "Again, I’m not getting into rape [or] sexual assault allegations. That’s extreme. But you know what was going on behind the scenes in terms of your consensual behavior with other women. Why are you putting yourself front and center when you knew what you were doing? Why?"
This comes as Eric Swalwell has not only dropped out of California’s governor’s race, but also resigned from Congress amid a wave of sexual assault allegations. Top Democrats quickly turned on Swalwell, with some withdrawing their endorsements and others condemning his conduct in public statements.
Swalwell’s exit from the race not only leaves his congressional seat vacant but also reshapes the gubernatorial field, elevating two controversial contenders: Katie Porter, known for berating staff, interviewers, and allegations of domestic abuse, and Tom Steyer, who holds some of the most far-left policy positions in the race.