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California reporter claims Eric Swalwell’s conduct ‘was known,’ raises questions about local support
East Bay political journalist and author Steve Tavares said in a Saturday social media post that allegations surrounding Eric Swalwell’s behavior toward women were widely known among local officials shortly after he entered Congress in 2013.
“Shortly after being elected to Congress in 2013, his behavior towards women was known by all levels of our local government and the Alameda County Democratic Party,” Tavares wrote.
“I tried repeatedly to get the stories out. I can’t force women to speak out, and when they chose not to, I didn’t push. I also knew that Swalwell was known to threaten litigation.”
Swalwell faces calls to resign and drop out of the California governor’s race, amid sexual assault allegations that have been raised against him by former staffers.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN PLANS MOTION TO OUST SWALWELL FROM CONGRESS AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
Tavares also emphasized his longstanding coverage of Swalwell.
“I’ve covered Eric Swalwell since he was a member of the Dublin City Council,” Tavares wrote. “Don’t get it twisted. Nobody has been more critical of Swalwell over the years.”
In a separate April 6 edition of his “East Bay Insiders” newsletter, Tavares outlined what he described as challenges facing Swalwell closer to home, particularly within Alameda County Democratic circles.
He wrote that Swalwell’s political standing in his home base remains limited.
“For a candidate who could plausibly contend for governor of the nation’s most powerful state, Eric Swalwell’s base of support at home is strikingly thin,” Tavares wrote.
Tavares pointed to both ideological and personal factors in explaining that dynamic.
“The reasons are both ideological and personal,” he wrote. “Despite his high-profile opposition to President Trump, many Democratic insiders in Alameda County do not view Swalwell as a reliable progressive.”
“Over time, his positions—support for law enforcement, past rhetoric on border security, and unwavering backing of Israel—have placed him out of step with the prevailing politics of the deep-blue East Bay,” he wrote.
Tavares also pointed to Swalwell’s early political campaigns as a source of lingering tensions.
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“Early in his congressional career, Swalwell unseated two well-regarded local figures—Pete Stark and later Ellen Corbett—moves that, while politically successful, left lingering resentment among longtime Democratic activists,” he wrote.
He added that those divisions have not fully dissipated over time. In addition, Tavares claimed there is a perception that Swalwell has been less of a fixture in his district since buying a home in Washington, D.C.
He also highlighted recent political endorsements as indicative of broader challenges to the California governor’s office.
“Recent endorsements underscore the challenge,” Tavares wrote, pointing to Assemblymember Mia Bonta Rep. Ro Khanna backing Tom Steyer for governor.
“Taken together, Swalwell’s path to higher office may depend less on consolidating his home base and more on building a coalition elsewhere—an unusual, and potentially risky, strategy for a California gubernatorial hopeful,” he wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Swalwell’s office and campaign, the Democratic National Committee and the California Democratic Party, but did not immediately hear back.
Heidi Klum loves a theme.
The supermodel looked barely recognizable as she frolicked around the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival over the weekend in Indio, Calif.
Klum, 52, smiled widely as she raised arms while walking the grounds at the Empire Polo Field wearing a jet black wig with mirrored sunglasses over her eyes.
“Coachella day 2 ‘Techno Hexen,'” the “Germany’s Next Topmodel” host wrote with a social media clip shared Saturday.
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Klum sported a sheer white gown with layers of fabric cascading down her chest and tucked into the back of a lacy pair of bottoms.
She slung a black leather bag across her shoulder and trekked through the dusty venue wearing fishnets with black-and-white leather cowboy boots.
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The mother-of-four made an equally impressive fashion statement the night before to kick off the festival.
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Dressed in a white cut-out bodysuit with oversized jeans and a white beanie to match, Klum danced to a Disclosure song on social media before catching the DJ’s closing set on the Outdoor stage.
The Victoria’s Secret angel was in good company throughout the star-studded weekend.
Katy Perry and boyfriend Justin Trudeau are quite literally heating things up in the desert.
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In a series of photos posted on the pop star’s Instagram, Perry and Trudeau put their budding romance on full display at Coachella.
In one snapshot, the duo walked hand-in-hand throughout the fairgrounds, and in another, Perry cozied up to Trudeau as the pair enjoyed a snack break.
They later caught Justin Bieber‘s return after a years-long hiatus.
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The 32-year-old singer — who was reportedly paid $10 million for his return — took the stage for a headlining performance, only to be met with a wave of criticism from online trolls.
For the first half of the set, Bieber focused on his latest tracks from “Swag” and “Swag ll” before diving into a YouTube-heavy track list.
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“Tonight is such a special night,” Bieber told the crowd while sitting on a stool behind a table that held his laptop. “I feel like we gotta take you guys on a bit of a journey. Do you guys remember this song?”
Bieber played hit songs like “Baby,” “Never Say Never” and “Beauty and the Beat” on YouTube, while singing along to the music videos playing in the background.
At one point, Katy Perry poked fun at the moments in between YouTube searches. “Thank God he has Premium,” the Grammy nominee, 41, said in a video posted to her Instagram. “I don’t want to see no ads.”
Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
Iran could retaliate against a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by directing its Houthi allies to disrupt another critical global shipping route, a senior Middle East analyst warned Sunday.
The Bab al-Mandeb — a narrow chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden — carries roughly 12% of global oil shipments and serves as a vital trade corridor between Asia and Europe, making it a strategic target for escalation that could further strain global energy markets.
“If the U.S. proceeds with its plan to blockade the strait, Iran’s escalation strategy could dictate that it ensures Gulf countries can’t export, either,” Mona Yacoubian, director and senior adviser at the Middle East Program, told Fox News Digital.
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“This could translate to further attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure or even deploying the Houthis to blockade the Bab al-Mandeb,” Yacoubian added.
Yacoubian’s remarks came after Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser on international affairs to Iran’s Supreme Leader, signaled Tehran’s view of the Bab al-Mandeb in light of potential U.S. action to block the Strait of Hormuz.
“Today, the unified command of the Resistance front views Bab al-Mandeb as it does Hormuz,” he said in a post on X.
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“If the White House dares to repeat its foolish mistakes, it will soon realize that the flow of global energy and trade can be disrupted with a single move.”
U.S. Central Command released a statement Sunday saying the naval blockade would begin Monday and be “enforced against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.”
President Donald Trump also said the U.S. Navy would block “any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz” in a post on Truth Social.
In March, the U.S. warned ships at the Red Sea chokepoint of Houthi attacks
“The Houthis continue to pose a threat to U.S. assets, including commercial vessels, in this region,” a maritime advisory said of the Iran-backed armed group that controls much of northern Yemen.
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“Potential hostile actions include one-way unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks; unmanned surface vehicle (USV) attacks; unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) attacks; ballistic and cruise missile attacks; small arms fire from small boats; explosive boat attacks; and illegal boardings, detentions, and/or seizures,” it said.
“U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operating in these areas are strongly advised to turn off their AIS transponders,” the advisory stated.
Yacoubian also determined in a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report that Iran was threatening to expand the conflict further to the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb compounding global market disruptions.
“It could leverage the Houthis, its Yemeni proxy, to once again wage attacks on the strategic waterway, depriving Saudi Arabia of its key workaround for oil shipments given the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz,” she added.
The Houthis joined Iran’s war against the U.S. and Israel on March 28 when the organization launched two ballistic missiles at southern Israel. Both were intercepted.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., did not answer on Sunday whether he believes Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., should resign from Congress after recent allegations of sexual misconduct.
“I do want to ask about allegations against one of your fellow Democrats, Eric Swalwell, allegations of rape and sexual misconduct,” CNN’s Dana Bash said on “State of the Union.” “He denies these allegations as false, says they never happened. You were a leader in your party. Do you think he should resign from Congress or face expulsion?”
“You know, Dana, I have seen the reports,” Warner said. “I think I‘ve met Mr. Swalwell once or twice. I want to hear his side of the story, but obviously, if any of these allegations are true, he should no longer be a candidate for governor. But again, I don‘t know any of the facts. And I‘m a little old-fashioned. I feel like I ought to hear the facts before I start weighing in.”
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Warner did not elaborate on whether he believed that Swalwell should resign from his congressional seat if allegations were proven true. Bash did not follow up with Warner after his response.
Fox News Digital reached out to Warner’s office for comment.
Swalwell was accused by a former staffer of sexual assault while she was intoxicated. The San Francisco Chronicle first broke the story of the anonymous ex-staffer, and three additional women have since spoken to CNN with allegations of misconduct.
Swalwell is a candidate for governor of California but has since faced calls to drop out, including from within his own party. He has pledged to fight the allegations against him.
“A lot has been said about me today through anonymous allegations, and I thought it was important that you see and hear from me directly. These allegations of sexual assault are flat-out false,” Swalwell said in a video posted Friday.
“They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened. And I will fight them with everything that I have.”
Some Democratic candidates have begun calling on Swalwell to also resign from Congress, including Virginia Rep. Eugene Vindman, New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal and California Reps. Ro Khanna and Jared Huffman.
Fellow gubernatorial candidates Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Tony Thurmond have also called on Swalwell to resign.
Rep. Swalwell Suspends Gubernatorial Campaign After Being Accused of Sexual Assault
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