Stephen Cloobeck, a former Democrat mega-donor, gubernatorial candidate, and Eric Swalwell supporter, has been arrested and faces potential charges of attempting to impede victim or witness testimony.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Stephen Cloobeck, a former Democrat mega-donor and California gubernatorial candidate, has been arrested pending possible charges of attempting to impede victim or witness testimony. 📰 DETAIL: Cloobeck was arrested on Tuesday in the Los Angeles, California area and booked into custody in West Hollywood. Cloobeck initially launched a gubernatorial campaign before withdrawing and supporting former Democrat Representative Eric Swalwell. However, following a slew of sexual assault allegations against Swalwell, Cloobeck distanced himself from Swalwell and the Democrats entirely. “I am no longer associated with a man that takes advantage of women… I support women’s rights,” Cloobeck said at the time. Records from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department suggest the possible charges against Cloobeck relate to attempting to impede victim or witness testimony. Specifically, Cloobeck is alleged to have threatened three male victims in an attempt to stop them from giving a testimony in a case concerning his fiancée, Adva Lavie, a 29-year-old influencer and model currently facing charges of burglary. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “These charges are false and we look forward to our day in court.” – Elias Dabaie, Cloobeck’s attorney 🎯 IMPACT: Cloobeck has been released on $300,000 bail. While Cloobeck’s attorney insists the charges are false, the news of his arrest only worsens the reputation of Swalwell’s now-suspended gubernatorial bid. Earlier in the year, when Cloobeck publicly ended his support for Swalwell and the Democrats, it was revealed that Cloobeck had given over $1 million in donations to Swalwell and allowed him to stay at his mansion. Moreover, Cloobeck has historically been a powerful and reliable Democrat donor, donating more than $4 million in federal contributions since 2000. As such, these charges not only harm the now-dispersed Swalwell camp, but the Democrats’ campaign machine as a whole. |
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