CNN’s Brownstein Deflects Swalwell Scandal, Suggests GOP Support Abuse

Brownstein’s statements were so off the point where even host Audie Cornish had to remind him Republicans were poised to expel Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX) after the sexual affair scandal that helped lead to a loss in his primary.

Cornish had to push back on Brownstein with mention of grown Republican support to expel Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) as a point against Brownstein’s allegations of Republican support of sexual abuse, as Brownstein was still stuck on the Republican “coalition”: 

BROWNSTEIN: I'm just saying that, you know, we are being reminded that we are operating in kind of very different political worlds -

CORNISH: Let me add another thought then -

BROWNSTEIN: - that reflects not only the elected officials, but again, the electorates. The coalitions themselves.”

CORNISH: Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas, okay, also facing an expulsion vote. He's been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior with a staffer. I'm bringing this up just to counter your point that you may have a Congress looking at expelling two members.

Brownstein’s attempt not to talk about Swalwell took the conversation off track and did not give the Swalwell conversation its needed focus. The hijacking of the segment only reflected poorly on Brownstein in his attempt to minimize Swalwell’s actions, something that, apparently, had been an open secret on Capitol Hill and California politics.

The transcript is below. Click "expand":

CNN This Morning

April 13, 2026

6:16:12 AM Eastern

AUDIE CORNISH: So, a developing story this morning. Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell is dropping out of the California Governor's race as he continues to deny sexual assault allegations. 

In a post on X, the Democrat apologized for his, quote, “mistakes in judgment.” And it was fellow Democrats who forced his hand.

(...)

6:16:50 AM Eastern

CORNISH: All right, so the group chat is back. I wanted to talk about this because this statement came from Hakeem Jeffries. He said, “following the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Swalwell, We call for a swift investigation into the incident,” and said that this is “unacceptable of anyone, certainly not an elected official, and must be taken seriously.” 

Ron, why do you think that Jeffries spoke so strongly in this case, where we have seen Congress be very reluctant to expel lawmakers with their tiny minority and majority lines?

RON BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, there's a fundamental difference between the parties in the way they have handled. I mean, I just -

CORNISH: Handled sexual assault issues.

BROWNSTEIN: -  I just look at the speed at which Swalwell unraveled and was forced out of the race with pressure from fellow Democrats. I mean, Donald Trump had two juries, you know, in civil cases, uh, adjudicate that he had committed, uh, sexual abuse, I think is the phrase under New York Law, defame someone by denying it. And, you know, there was nothing like that on the Republican side.

And that does not only reflect kind of views of elites. I mean, if you drill down into the way voters in each coalition view allegations of sexual abuse, it is quite different. And so -

CORNISH: But can I stop here? The CNN reporting here - And I'm just going to the CNN reporting here. And he has denied this. 

BROWNSTEIN: But -

CORNISH: - from CNN, their report was that a former Swalwell staffer claimed that he raped her.

BROWNSTEIN: And its - and its, and - what happened is what should have happened. I'm just saying it is striking the contrast between what didn't happen. I mean, the fact that Democrats- 

[CROSSTALK]

CORNISH: But now you have the D.A.’s attorney actually investigating - 

SARA FISCHER: You know, what's the big difference here is the cell phone, okay? Eric Swalwell, our representative Swalwell did a lot of this communication on Snapchat.

BROWNSTEIN: Yeah.

FISCHER: There's a lot of this talked about how he sent lewd pictures. And I think part of this, and why he swiftly stepped down, is because there might be a digital trail of some of the stuff that Donald Trump never had. And I think that makes it much harder for him to just say, oh, this never happened. I do think there's probably a digital footprint, and he is aware of that. And that is where there’s a - 

BROWNSTEIN: I think there’s a lot of evidence of what Donald Trump did as well

FISCHER: 100 percent.

BROWNSTEIN: You know, but the point is - 

CORNISH: I think I hear her saying that Swalwell is also trying to get ahead of what could turn out to be explicit messages or photos. And you've had multiple women -

BROWNSTEIN: It was instantly untenable for him to remain in the race. And based on these accusations, it should have been untenable for him to remain in the race. I'm just saying that, you know, we are being reminded that we are operating in kind of very different political worlds -

CORNISH: Let me add another thought then -

BROWNSTEIN: - that reflects not only the elected officials, but again, the electorates. The coalitions themselves.

CORNISH: Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas, okay, also facing an expulsion vote. He's been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior with a staffer. I'm bringing this up just to counter your point that you may have a Congress looking at expelling two members.

BROWNSTEIN: And two more.

FRANCESCA CHAMBERS: And I think that these allegations against Eric Swalwell put the focus back on Tony Gonzales in a way that I think, as we're discussing here, you know, it had moved away a little bit in the sense that you also had a recess.

You know, they're coming back. This is squarely on the focus now. You have lawmakers are getting asked about it on television. Republican lawmakers who were saying on television yesterday, yes, I think both of them.

(...)