Swalwell was once dubbed the 'Snapchat king of Congress' amid claims of sexual misconduct
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Disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was once dubbed the “Snapchat king of Congress” years before his career was marred by recent sexual misconduct allegations.
Swalwell was forced to resign from Congress and suspend his bid to run for office in California amid incriminating reports alleging sexual harassment and assault. In his public statement, Swalwell vehemently denied the allegations of wrongdoing but admitted that he had engaged in extramarital affairs in the past.
Among the allegations Swalwell faced were that he had sent unsolicited pictures of his private parts to women he met on Snapchat, a popular social media platform known for allowing messages and photos to disappear.
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Disgraced Congressman Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was dubbed the “Snapchat king of Congress” years before his use of the platform was engulfed in his sexual misconduct scandal. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
In 2016, Swalwell was the subject of a fiery report from The Hill by tech reporter Taylor Lorenz about his use of the platform, which at the time was rarely used by politicians.
“Think of the average Snapchat user, and you probably don't think of a 35-year-old congressman from California,” Lorenz began the report. “But in a few short months, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) has been very successful in the process, using the platform to connect with constituents and grow his base.”
“The result is a fun feed of short videos, photos and an unfiltered look at the daily life of the congressman. He photographs his daily walks, captures videos from his hometown in northern California, and documents his daily meetings as a representative of the 15th district of California,” he wrote.
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Swalwell was forced to resign from Congress and suspend his gubernatorial campaign in California following allegations of sexual misconduct. (Matei Horvath/Getty Images for California Environmental Voters)
In an interview with Lorenz, Swalwell said “how many of our people” were on Snapchat and not just “the youth”.
“That's when I realized that a lot of people really go there whether it's to get news, to connect with friends, just cool, fun, interesting things that disappear in 24 hours,” Swalwell said at the time. “We just realized that this is another way to connect directly with voters.”
Swalwell boasted of her growing following on the platform, telling Lorenz, “”People now come up to me at the grocery store or in our community and say, Hi, I like your Snapchat.”
“I want the people of my country to know that I have not forgotten the duty of sharing what I am doing here as the person they elected,” said the former lawyer now.
WALWELL'S SEX ALLEGATIONS THREAT CAREER BEYOND POLITICIAN, PROFESSIONAL
Tech journalist Taylor Lorenz exposed Swalwell's heavy use of Snapchat back in 2016. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)
According to the report, Swalwell gave “personal Snapchat lessons” to colleagues on Capitol Hill and even “carried a bunch of homemade Snapchat flyers to hand out on the House floor.”
“It may seem strange that a member of Congress would be so passionate about a social media messaging app, but Swalwell says he has a passion for mobile technology and the opportunities it offers,” Lorenz wrote.
Looking back on his report almost a decade later, Lorenz told Fox News Digital, “I'm horrified and disgusted by the news that's coming out about his behavior. The fact that someone in his position is allegedly using social media to train young women is very disturbing. I think we're all maybe reading this story about his use of Snapchat in a new light.”
Swalwell's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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