Bill Maher is not holding back when it comes to Eric Swalwell. The late-night host went off on the former California congressman during a recent episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher,” reacting to the wave of sexual misconduct allegations that have already forced Swalwell to resign from Congress and drop out of the California governor’s race.
Bill Maher Calls Swalwell A ‘Creep’ As Explosive Allegations Surface From Multiple Women
Swalwell is facing serious allegations from several women, including a former staffer who claims he sexually assaulted her in 2019 and 2024. Another woman alleged he drugged and raped her in a hotel room in 2018, while three additional women told CNN that he sent explicit messages and nude photos. The California Democrat has denied the accusations but admitted to “mistakes in judgement.”
Maher made it clear he was never a fan, even recalling Swalwell’s previous appearance on his show. “I’ve always thought this guy was a f-cking creep,” Maher said. “I never liked him, and yet so many Democrats stood by him.”
The criticism comes years after Swalwell appeared on the show in 2018, celebrating his 38th birthday and reelection to Congress. “You must really want to be president,” Maher told him at the time, a prediction that wasn’t far off, as Swalwell later launched a 2020 presidential bid before dropping out after the first Democratic debates.
Rahm Emanuel Calls Out ‘Double Standard’ As Maher Questions What Democrats Knew About Swalwell
Bill Maher also questioned whether the alleged behavior was widely known among Democrats, pushing back on the idea that it was some kind of “open secret.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel weighed in during the discussion, pointing to what he described as a political double standard. “Eric’s out of Congress, shouldn’t be the congressman. He’s no longer a congressman. He dropped out of the governor’s race, as it should be,” Emanuel said. “Then you have the president of the United States,” he continued, drawing applause from the audience.
His comments referenced Donald Trump, who was found liable in 2023 by a New York jury for sexually abusing and defaming advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. “Give me a break,” Emanuel added.
Rosie O’Donnell Speaks Out
Bill Maher isn’t the only one weighing in on the controversy. Rosie O’Donnell is also sounding off, and she’s not holding back.
In a candid TikTok video following a recent trip from Ireland to visit family, O’Donnell reflected on the broader political climate before turning her attention to Eric Swalwell. “You can’t help but feel all of the chaos of the country when you’re there, like, you can’t help but feel it,” she said. “Can we talk for a little bit about Eric Swalwell? I know that guy.”
As she processed the allegations, Rosie O’Donnell revealed she even reached out to him directly. “I wrote him a little message, and I said, ‘Bill Clinton broke my heart and now you did too,’” she said. “The conclusion I’ve come to: ‘Men suck.’ The way that they are physiologically they can’t, sort of, control their sexual urges. This is what I find.”
Bill Maher Roasts Trump’s Growing Feud List
Bill Maher is also taking aim at Donald Trump, this time over his latest high-profile feud.
During a recent episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the comedian mocked what he described as Trump’s growing list of conflicts, zeroing in on his escalating tension with Pope Leo XIV.
“So we have a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. We have a ceasefire between Trump and Iran,” Bill Maher quipped. “And fingers crossed, we might even have one between Trump and the pope.”
Bill Maher Jokes Trump Is In ‘Full-On Rap War’ With The Pope
Bill Maher framed the clash as a “full-on rap war,” pointing to months of back-and-forth between Trump and the pontiff, who has openly criticized the administration’s immigration policies and foreign affairs approach, calling certain actions “extremely disrespectful” and warning against increasingly aggressive rhetoric.
Donald Trump, however, has not backed down, continuing to fire back as the feud adds yet another chapter to his long list of public battles.