Commentary: There's a wide gap between rumor and fact. That's where Eric Swalwell lurked

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

The implosion of Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign and his once-promising political career has left a great many questions rising from the smoldering wreckage.Questions about his character, judgment and staggering recklessness.The question — as misguided as it is inevitable — of why his accusers hadn’t come forward sooner.(My columnizing colleague, Anita Chabria, incisively addressed that one, discussing the nature of suppressed trauma and the believability hurdle that many victims of sexual assault unduly face.)Then there’s the question of how and why Swalwell’s creepy and allegedly criminal behavior stayed hidden from public view for so long — especially when the impossible-to-miss fixture of cable TV embarked on a high-profile campaign to lead the nation’s most-populous state.Swalwell, 45 and married, had a widely whispered about reputation for showering inappropriate and unwelcome attention on younger women.

Rumors — vague, unsubstantiated — were a source of incessant dirt-dishing among political insiders and also circulated extensively online.(Not, however, the more serious allegations of sexual assault.) The veil was finally pierced last week when the San Francisco Chronicle published a graphic account of a woman alleging sexual encounters with Swalwell while the Democratic lawmaker was her boss.

She said he sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent.California Why powerful labor unions, elected officials and special interest groups backed Eric Swalwell for govenor despite rumors about past inappropriate behavior.A few hours later, CNN followed up with a report that three other women had recounted various kinds of sexual misconduct.

On Tuesday, yet another alleged victim came forth, saying she was drugged and raped by Swalwell in 2018.The former congressman has flatly and vigorously denied criminal wrongdoing while acknow...