Eric Swalwell was cable news star for years before rapid fall from grace
FIRST ON FOX — Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was one of the most visible Democrats on cable news before his quick fall from grace over sexual misconduct allegations, appearing on MS NOW and CNN hundreds of times in recent years, including 50 times already in 2026.
Swalwell, who suspended his California gubernatorial campaign this week and said he will resign from Congress following sexual assault allegations, developed a reputation over the last decade for being highly available to cable news producers. His ability to go on air with little notice and his positions on prominent House committees made him a point person to offer Democratic Party talking points.
A Media Research Center study found that Swalwell appeared on MS NOW 26 times and on CNN another 24 times in 2026 alone, with all the appearances coming between January 1 and April 10.
"A combined 50 cable news appearances in just the first 14 weeks of 2026 is astounding considering he’s not in party leadership. He was averaging three to four appearances per week," MRC associate editor Nicholas Fondacaro told Fox News Digital.
MS NOW and CNN were giving the gubernatorial hopeful a significant amount of free airtime before he became engulfed in scandal, but Swalwell had been a fixture for years.
Swalwell, who was first elected to the House in 2012, saw his star rise during President Donald Trump's first term due to his prominent role on the House Intelligence Committee and the sprawling Russia investigation, often making charges of "collusion."
From Jan. 1, 2018 to the end of Trump's first term on Jan. 20, 2021, Swalwell's name was mentioned on CNN and MSNBC — now called MS NOW — more than 2,000 times, including on reruns, according to a Grabien data search. Swalwell made a brief run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination but dropped out well before the Iowa caucuses.
The New York Times reported that Swalwell’s frequent media appearances helped give him credibility in the California gubernatorial race, as he had "no experience in state government" and few connections with Democratic leaders.
"What he had was a media profile as a Trump antagonist, burnished by years of appearances on news shows that made him more familiar to voters than most of his competitors," the Times reported, later adding, "Mr. Swalwell’s experience combating President Trump gave him tremendous exposure — much more than a state government official can garner in today’s media ecosystem."
"Swalwell was a staple for the liberal media throughout the first Trump term," Fondacaro told Fox News Digital. "Often overlooking his cartoonish antics, he swiftly became a notable figure they would lean on heavily for anti-Trump commentary during events such as the Mueller investigation and the impeachments."
"The liberal media’s love affair with Swalwell allowed him to weather the Fang Fang scandal and was carried over into the second Trump term," Fondacaro continued. "As with the first term, they relied on him to be on the firebrand against Trump and his officials both on TV and in committee hearings."
Swalwell was also swept up with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang, or "Fang Fang." The suspected operative helped raise funds for Swalwell’s 2014 House re-election campaign and placed at least one intern in his office, but the ordeal did not derail the non-stop cable news appearances.
In the past week, Swalwell went from frequent cable news guest to the subject of scathing reports about a series of sexual misconduct allegations that have swiftly derailed his career. CNN even had an exclusive with women coming forward with on-camera remarks.
The Democrat, who has denied serious wrongdoing but admitted "mistakes," noted the allegations came as he was among the frontrunners in the crowded field to be the next California governor.
MS NOW and CNN did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, members of the media have been casually noting that Swalwell’s behavior was commonly known in elite circles for years. Republicans are questioning how much top Democrats and media decision makers knew before the allegations became public.
"Ruthless" podcast host Josh Holmes believes the media simply used Swalwell until he couldn’t help them any longer.
"He’s a fall guy for a corrupt leadership and press corps that knew everything about his exploits as long as he was a useful idiot. He became a problem for their preservation of power, which is why you know about it," Holmes posted.
"The View" co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said on Monday that Swalwell’s reputation with women was reportedly an "open secret" that made him exploitable by America's enemies. Liberal pundit Matthew Yglesias posted that the situation was "widely rumored" and journalist Yashar Ali said Democrats have "all known for years." One reporter even suggested she failed to report out certain details because "MeToo stories on the Hill aren't related to my beat."
‘THE VIEW’ HOST SAYS ERIC SWALWELL'S REPUTATION WITH WOMEN WAS ‘OPEN SECRET’ EXPLOITABLE BY ENEMIES
"This should be a cautionary tale to be skeptical of those the liberal media elevate," Fondacaro said.
"It’s been reported that Swalwell’s alleged misconduct was an ‘open secret’ among the media, D.C., and L.A. political circles," he added. "What else aren’t they telling voters? Who else are they covering for and will only turn against when they outlived their political usefulness?"
Swalwell said Monday that he was "deeply sorry" to his family, staff and constituents, but still insisted the sexual misconduct and abuse allegations against him were "false."
Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel and Adam Pack contributed to this report.