Comedian and HBO host Bill Maher joined in the wave of renewed scrutiny around former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who he described as a “f*cking creep” — which has prompted fresh debate in Washington over how long allegations and rumors can circulate inside political and media circles before ever becoming public. Swalwell, once a prominent Democratic figure and frequent cable news guest during the Trump era, saw his political career collapse in a matter of days earlier this month after a series of sexual misconduct allegations surfaced publicly, including claims of rape and sexual assault. He has since suspended his California gubernatorial campaign, resigned from Congress, and acknowledged “mistakes” while denying the more serious accusations. The speed of that fall has only intensified questions about what was known, and when. That surfaced again on Saturday when Bill Maher addressed the situation on air, describing what he said was a long-standing perception of Swalwell that never made it into mainstream reporting until recently. WATCH: