We’re going to talk about farting a lot in this post, so if you find Fart Talk beneath you, just go. For all of us who rejoice in Fart Talk, this is a good one. Rep. Eric Swalwell is a congressman from California and he used to be running for the Democratic nomination for president, but he dropped out of the race. Good thing too, because his ALLEGED fart on live TV might have ended his campaign. Fartgate is real, people. Swalwell appeared on Hardball with Chris Matthews and this happened:

I’ve been a farter my entire life, and this is 100% ripping ass #fartgate pic.twitter.com/cqxE3Fyo9Q

— brown for whatever (@juliusisok) November 19, 2019

Come on. We’ve all done it. I once farted in a college study group during a moment of silence and I will forever be horrified whenever I think about it. Swalwell clearly dealt it too, you can see the tension in his body as he lets it out, possibly because he thought – as we all have at some time – that it could have just been a sneaky, quiet one (silent but deadly). This happens as you get older too – you have to actually do a quick preparation, a body check, as you’re about to let one rip. That’s what you can see Swalwell do – I swear, he even rocks a little bit to get it out. That being said, a Buzzfeed reporter contacted Swalwell shortly after his gassy appearance on Hardball, and he denied being El Farter. He even denies hearing it, which is bonkers.

NEWS: SWALWELL denies it was him who farted on MSNBC: pic.twitter.com/IYmHwYfuGf

— Addy Baird (@addysue) November 19, 2019

Some people theorized that Chris Matthews was the Farter and that Swalwell smiled because he could hear the fart in his earwig, but Hardball’s production team sent this tweet:

Sorry to disappoint the conspiracy theorists – it was the #hardball mug scraping across the desk. Get yours today and let’s get back to the news! https://t.co/SG8Owm2IBw

— Hardball (@hardball) November 19, 2019

I’m sorry but no – that was not a mug-scraping sound it was a FART. I find it disturbing and indicative of the Trump Era of Politics that these fart denials are so obviously lies.

Second, the fart conveniently manifests when it goes to a one-shot, where Chris is off camera to let it rip without anyone seeing…

— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) November 19, 2019

[November 18, 2029]

Kid: Dad – when did our country become so united and started actually working together again?

Me: Ten years ago a man named Eric Swalwell ripped a fart so amazing on TV that both parties got together to post memes, literally transcending politics. #fartgate

— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) November 19, 2019

Not quite a slogan you can get behind. #fartgate pic.twitter.com/olBQEW596V

— Joshua Blagburn (@JoshuaBlagburn) November 19, 2019

Swalwell: Hold it.

Swalwell: Nah, it’s all good, no one will notice.

Swalwell: I’m on live TV, man. I can’t—

Swalwell: Now’s your chance. Do it and be a legend

Swalwell: pic.twitter.com/i6vLIUiQlL

— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) November 19, 2019

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.