Rep. Eric Swalwell files claim against Pamela Price after ‘defamatory statements’

California Congressman Eric Swalwell has filed a government tort claim against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who is facing a recall effort, in the wake of alleged “defamatory statements.”

Joseph Goethals, of Burlingame’s Goethals & Stone, PC, said on Sunday that he filed the tort claim in Alameda County. The claim is a formal requirement before launching an actual lawsuit. Alameda County now has 30 days to respond, said Goethals, either saying it accepts the claim and will compensate Swalwell or reject the claim and possibly see a defamation lawsuit filed against it in state court.

“There have been false allegations made intentionally by Pamela Price,” Goethals said. “She is retaliating because of the congressman’s endorsement of the recall effort. This is an attempt to distract people from her gross incompetence that is putting Alameda County residents in danger.”

The D.A.’s media representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

Swalwell, who represents California’s 14th congressional district, has been a vocal critic of Price, whose recall effort goes before voters on Nov. 5. After the congressman held a press conference in early October coming out in support of the recall, Price made a post on her personal Facebook page that questioned whether Swalwell had anything to “hide” from his time as a prosecutor with the D.A.’s office from 2006 to 2012.

Price’s campaign then released a statement saying that “constituents would be better served if Congressman Swalwell focused less on trying to overturn the will of the voters and more on defending our democracy.”

Price’s campaign earlier suggested on X.com that the congressman only started complaining about crime when “Alameda County residents historically elected the first Black woman as District Attorney.”

“Pamela Price leaves me no choice but to file this claim against her for her deliberate and untrue statements,” Swalwell’s office said in an email Sunday. “No one is above the law, especially the Alameda County District Attorney. Price may be trying to run out the clock to her likely recall, but her intimidation tactics and efforts to seek political retribution can not stand. I will not allow her to try to damage my personal and professional reputation.”