Billionaire Dem Donor Who Turned on the Party After Swalwell Allegations Gets Arrested

The billionaire timeshare kingpin who suddenly ditched former Rep. Eric Swalwell and booted him from his California mansion over sexual misconduct allegations was arrested Tuesday. 

Stephen Cloobeck, the founder of Diamond Resorts International, turned himself in to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department in West Hollywood. He faces a felony charge of attempting to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness from testifying, the California Post reported.

Details on exactly what went down remain fuzzy. He posted $300,000 bail and walked out, per jail records. Fox News Digital asked the sheriff's department and Cloobeck himself for comment. 

"These charges are false, and we look forward to our day in court," a spokesperson for Cloobeck told the newspaper.

Cloobeck, a former gubernatorial candidate, had been backing Swalwell's run for California governor until the sexual assault claims surfaced. That was enough for him to bail on his old pal and the entire Democratic Party.

"I am no longer supporting Eric. F---ing tell everyone I’m a libertarian. F--- you, Democratic Party. I’m a libertarian now," Cloobeck told the Post at the time.

"I am now a Republican," he added to Fox 11 LA.

Swalwell has denied the claims against him in a video filmed inside Cloobeck's home. At the time, Cloobeck, who briefly ran for governor before dropping out and endorsing his former friend, said he kicked Swalwell out of his Beverly Hills mansion, stating that Swalwell "busted the trust" between them.

"I am no longer associated with a man that takes advantage of women," Cloobeck told reporters. "I support women’s rights."

Even in the clown world of California politics, this one has some extra layers of delicious irony. A big-money Dem donor finally sees the light, flips the bird to the party, and now finds himself in legal hot water. Hollywood could not script this stuff any better.

Thank you for following Brain Flushings. Please take time to simply check out the sponsors on this page--it's one way to support my work. Of course, you can Buy Me A Coffee if you want to support me directly. Finally, don't be afraid to subscribe if you enjoy the blog--it's free, and worth the cost.

Tweet