Kathy Griffin Admits She Gave $10K to Eric Swalwell Before He Resigned Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Comedian Kathy Griffin said she donated $10,000 to disgraced Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Ca.) for his now-defunct California gubernatorial campaign because she believed he was the only electable Democrat in the race.

Griffin's contribution was part of a larger list of approximately 1,700 donors, which included other high-profile figures like Robert De Niro ($10,000) and Sean Penn ($15,000).

Penn and De Niro, as well as many of Swalwell's former celebrity supporters — Jane Fonda, Jon Hamm and Jon Cryer — who donated to his gubernatorial campaign, have yet to publicly express their opinions on the scandal, which, according to The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, was an "open secret" in Washington, D.C., and argued it made him exploitable by U.S. enemies.

In an interview on her podcast, "Talk Your Head Off," Griffin explained that she backed Swalwell because she believed only a "straight white man" could realistically win the race against Republican challengers.

"We’re in this era where only freaking white straight guys can win. And so if he’s the one that’s most electable, we don’t want the two Republican challengers," she admitted.

Following several public allegations of sexual misconduct and rape against Swalwell — which he has denied — Griffin attempted to distance herself from the campaign, stating that the situation "has kinda rocked our world.”

Amid these allegations and a DOJ ethics investigation, Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress and his exit from the gubernatorial race.

Women have come forward with accusations ranging from sexual assault and rape to sending lewd text messages and unsolicited graphic images.

Through his attorneys, the 45-year-old former congressman has "categorically and unequivocally" denied all allegations of sexual assault and rape, calling them "fabricated" and a "political hit job." However, he has vaguely apologized for unspecified "mistakes in judgment" from his past.

Rosie O’Donnell also expressed her shock and heartbreak over the Swalwell scandal, saying she sent him a letter in which she wrote, "Bill Clinton broke my heart, and now you did too. You know the conclusion I’ve come to? Men suck."

Billionaire and Democratic donor Stephen Cloobeck, who reportedly cut ties with Swalwell, demanded the return of campaign funds following the allegations.

Close friend and California Sen. Ruben Gallego publicly admitted to "hearing rumors" of Swalwell's “flirtatious” behavior for years, but was blindsided by the assault allegations and expressed deep regret over his past support.

“There are a lot of powerful people in this city that validated this guy and enabled him to get as far as he did,” an anonymous Los Angeles political consultant told the New York Post.

“Hollywood needs to take a hard look in the mirror because this community – right or wrong – is still essential in determining who gets to have power in this country and in this state,” they added.