“The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said Monday that Rep. Eric Swalwell’s past conduct with women was widely known and created potential national security concerns, as the California Democrat suspended his campaign for governor following allegations of sexual assault and other reported misconduct.
Swalwell, who represents California in Congress, announced he was stepping back from his gubernatorial bid after facing accusations that include sexual assault, as well as multiple reports alleging inappropriate behavior involving women.
He has acknowledged what he described as “mistakes in judgment” but has denied the sexual assault allegations.
Griffin, who recently returned to “The View” following maternity leave, addressed the situation during the program, pointing to reports that the allegations did not come as a surprise to some observers.
“Swalwell sat on the intel committee, and there were allegations he had a suspected Chinese spy, Fang Fang, who was associated with him in his office,” Griffin said.
“Now, he was not found to have engaged in wrongdoing, but to me, my spidey senses from having worked at the Pentagon go off, which is it was an open secret that he had issues with women, that he was somebody who was susceptible, potentially to heavy drinking, to impropriety with women.”
Griffin said that such allegations should be considered disqualifying for public office and argued that political considerations should not outweigh concerns about conduct.
“I think we need to remember that winning isn’t everything, and you lose the plot when you think that,” Griffin said.
“When somebody does something that’s beyond the pale, that should be it, and we should move on and get back to that kind of society.”
She also referenced the seriousness of the claims made against Swalwell, noting their public visibility.
“I think of the victims. These allegations are horrible. They’re well-documented. This is, I mean, deeply reported,” she added.
Griffin further argued that the implications extend beyond the individuals involved, stating that reputational concerns tied to repeated allegations could pose broader risks.
Hellbound and Down 