Good for CNN. Its shoe-leather reporting helped topple two members of Congress — Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and, in a separate case, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) — by exposing sexual misconduct.
The network intensified pressure that, despite their initial denials, all but forced them to quit their House seats. The Swalwell probe was a long, grinding investigation, the kind that still moves the political needle.
The reason: Both men were certain to be expelled, so they beat their colleagues to the punch, expelling themselves.
I find the whole thing sickening. Capitol Hill has long been a playground for powerful men who exploit young female staffers who are easily intimidated. For way too long, many in the press have ignored or tolerated the boys-will-be-boys atmosphere. Perhaps, at long last, that is starting to change.
The “Clinton News Network” — as President Trump disparagingly calls it — forced the hands of those current lawmakers. Despite accusations of bias by Trump and many other MAGA supporters, as well as the general public, it’s true in many cases, especially in primetime dominated by liberals.
The broadcaster exposed a Democrat, as it has multiple times over the years. A Democrat who seemed assured of becoming California’s next governor, until the network’s disclosures forced him to quit the race.
One CNN headline — after extensive and expensive digging in the Swalwell case — read: “Four women describe sexual misconduct by Rep. Eric Swalwell, including a former staffer who says he raped her.” Now that’s a jaw-dropping bombshell.
Swalwell, who is married and has represented the San Francisco area since 2013, resigned under pressure over multiple sexual misconduct allegations, including assault accusations.
In mid-April, in an exclusive on-camera interview with CNN, a former intern and junior staffer for Swalwell asked to be cloaked in shadows to protect her identity because she feared professional consequences. She described an incident to Pamela Brown, who, with her team, has been the driving force of the network’s coverage. The accuser said that after an event, while riding in a car with him, “He pulls out his penis and instructs me to give him oral sex.” She initially complied and then stopped, saying it made her extremely uncomfortable. Swalwell denied the allegations, calling them untrue.
Another woman who sat down with CNN says she never wanted to go forward with the illicit relationship but wanted Swalwell held accountable. She says he messaged her when she was 21 on Snapchat — where messages disappear after a short period — and sent her an unsolicited picture of his genitals. Swalwell denies the allegations of infidelity and vowed to fight them. “I give a lot of credit to the women that spoke out,” says the accuser. “I needed to speak up to validate their experiences.” In the end, five women came forward.
The fifth accuser, Beverly Hills model Lonna Drewes, came forward at a news conference — and there were no shadows. “I can’t believe he felt so cavalier that he would just drug me, rape me, and then choke me,” Drewes said, claiming the congressman secretly drugged her in 2018 before luring her to his hotel room.
Drewes told CNN: “I passed out. I thought I was dead.” When she woke up in the middle of the night, she said, “he was next to me and I left.”
The San Francisco Chronicle and New York Times also carried key reports, but it was CNN that delivered the gut-punch impact. That’s the power of television. Swalwell is now under criminal investigation.
For House Republican Tony Gonzales, the decisive factor wasn’t media coverage alone — it was a House Ethics Committee investigation, bipartisan pressure from colleagues, and the impending expulsion vote.
Multiple news reports — including by CNN — described serious sexual misconduct allegations made by staffers. Gonzales acknowledged having an affair with a congressional staffer in 2024. Regina Santos-Aviles provided the documents to media outlets and the ethics panel. Among other things, he asked her for “sexy” pictures, described sexual positions, and arranged a meeting. Gonzales is also married.
Santos-Aviles told the Texas lawmaker that the conversation went too far, but he persisted. Tragically, she died by suicide in September by setting herself on fire. Her widower, Adrian Aviles, told CNN’s Erin Burnett: “The man has no values. He’s a sick man.”
These alleged womanizers join a small, tawdry group of congressmen who have resigned. Expulsion is extremely rare. Only six House members have surrendered their seats, including New York Democrat Anthony Weiner, who quit after sending lewd pictures and texts to women, including at least one who later turned out to be a 17-year-old girl. The predatory behavior led to federal charges and a 21-month prison sentence for transferring obscene material to a minor.
CNN has a history of exclusive investigations. When New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned after assault and abuse allegations by four women — reported by the New Yorker — CNN was quick to play up the irony of the situation. Schneiderman had championed women’s rights, legislation against domestic violence, and the #MeToo movement. His law license was suspended for one year.
CNN also helped break and expand upon early allegations of sexual harassment by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), who ultimately resigned.
But CNN has also spent endless airtime going after Trump and his top aides and Cabinet members. Which is always popular with its left-leaning audience. Its nighttime panels are often 5-to-1 against the president, ganging up on conservative contributor and dogged Trump defender Scott Jennings.
CNN has produced multiple early scoops and exclusive reporting threads tied to the investigation of January 6th. It reported on internal White House communications and pressure campaigns surrounding efforts to overturn the election results.
It also played a major role in early coverage of what became the broader Russia investigation and reported on contacts between Trump associates and Russian-linked individuals during and after the 2016 campaign.
Several Trump associates were charged or convicted for unrelated crimes uncovered during the probe, such as lying to investigators and financial crimes. Trump repeatedly denied any coordination with Russia, describing it as a witch hunt and a hoax.
He said the coverage was politically motivated and utterly unfair. Some of it was overzealous and tarnished the reputations of numerous anchors and reporters. Trump is still arguing that the 2020 election was stolen and has pardoned January 6th rioters.
Without journalism like this that brings both sides to the forefront, much of the public record around these events would have taken far longer to surface, and key details might never have reached widespread public view.
The same is true for this most recent investigation. It was widely whispered in political circles that Swalwell was facing scrutiny, and staffers warned newly hired women about his conduct. But the allegations didn’t stick until the women came forward. That’s what journalism is all about — not indulging in rumors, but verified sources who reveal and can document their ordeal.
The TV world should take notice and, in this case, follow CNN’s lead. Hats off for in-depth, verified, and game-changing accountability reporting. It delivers a reminder that hard-charging journalism still has the power to bring Washington to its knees.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
