Rep. Eric Swalwell denied being the origin of the flatulent noise heard during his live interview with MSNBC host Christ Matthews on Monday night.
“It was not me!!!!!” the California Democrat told BuzzFeed News reporter Addy Baird on Monday. “Ha. And I didn’t hear it when I was speaking.”
After Baird pushed back, saying it definitely sounded like he heard it and was trying not to laugh, Swalwell denied it again, but conceded it was “funny tho.”
Good to see a member of Congress just speaking the truth without partisan spin: pic.twitter.com/eSnRbnt92G
— Addy Baird (@addysue) November 19, 2019
The denial comes after Swalwell appears to have broken wind on live television while discussing the impeachment proceedings against President Trump. “The president used taxpayer dollars to ask the Ukrainians to cheat,” he said before the noise erupted. The 39-year-old congressman continued talking without acknowledging the sound.
Donald Trump Jr. called it the “most intelligible thing to come out of Swalwell in years. #fartgate” The hashtag #fartgate subsequently skyrocketed among trending Twitter words.
Most intelligible thing to come out of Swalwell in years. #fartgate https://t.co/LT7MXAkIRB
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 19, 2019
Swalwell is a former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who dropped out of the race after saying he did not see a pathway to secure the nomination.
