California Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday, stepping down under intense bipartisan pressure following a series of sexual misconduct allegations. Among the accusations is a claim of rape made by a former staffer, a development that triggered both internal congressional probes and a criminal investigation in New York.
The resignation comes at a pivotal moment for the Dublin Democrat, who had suspended his campaign for governor of California just one day prior. In a statement released Monday, Swalwell announced his departure from the House, where he has served since 2013, although maintaining that he would continue to fight what he described as “serious, false” allegations.
Despite his denial of the most severe charges, Swalwell acknowledged some level of culpability in his statement. “However, I must accept responsibility and ownership of the mistakes I did make,” he wrote, though he did not elaborate on the specific nature of those mistakes.
The decision to step down followed a rapid escalation of events. Hours before the announcement, the House Ethics Committee formally opened an investigation into the misconduct claims. Simultaneously, a coalition of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle began moving toward a formal expulsion vote, a rare and severe disciplinary action that would have removed him from office regardless of his will.
Legal investigations and the threat of expulsion
The allegations against Swalwell first gained public traction last week through detailed reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. The fallout was immediate, with colleagues from both parties describing the accusations as “disgusting” and calling for his immediate removal.
The legal jeopardy extends beyond the halls of Congress. The Manhattan district attorney’s office has opened a criminal investigation into the sexual assault allegations brought by a former staffer. Over the weekend, the prosecutor’s office issued a public appeal, urging any survivors or individuals with knowledge of the allegations to contact the Special Victims Division.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) had been preparing to lead the effort to oust the Northern California lawmaker. Luna indicated she intended to file a motion as early as Tuesday, arguing that Swalwell had violated House rules regarding inappropriate sexual relationships with subordinates. A floor vote could have taken place as early as Wednesday.
While Luna stated that Swalwell did “the right thing” by resigning, she pushed back against his claims that expulsion efforts were premature. She noted that the existence of a criminal investigation provided sufficient grounds for the House to act.
A rare moment of bipartisan condemnation
The pressure on Swalwell was not limited to his political opponents. Some of his closest allies in the Democratic caucus distanced themselves as the details emerged. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) expressed his betrayal on X, stating that he had trusted a man who turned out to be someone he did not truly know.
trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew. The woman deserves to be believed, to be supported and to witness justice served.
Swalwell attempted to frame the push for his removal as a violation of due process, arguing that it was “wrong” to expel a member “without due process, within days of an allegation being made.” However, he conceded that it was equally “wrong” for his constituents in California’s 14th congressional district to have their representative distracted by these controversies.
The resignation of Eric Swalwell is part of a broader trend of accountability within the current Congress. Late Monday, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) too announced his departure from office. Gonzales had previously admitted to a sexual relationship with a staffer who later died by suicide.
When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office.
The historical weight of House expulsion
Had the House proceeded with a vote, Swalwell would have faced a daunting threshold: a two-thirds majority, or 290 votes if all 435 members participated. Such an outcome would have been historic, marking the first time a member of Congress was expelled specifically on the grounds of sexual misconduct.
Expulsion is one of the rarest disciplinary tools in the House’s 237-year history. To date, only six members have been removed in this manner.
| Reason for Expulsion | Number of Members |
|---|---|
| Fighting for the Confederacy | 3 |
| Conviction of Bribery | 2 |
| Fraud (George Santos) | 1 |
Meredith McGehee, a former executive director of the ethics watchdog Issue One, suggested that the reluctance to expel members in recent years—often due to razor-thin legislative majorities—has damaged the institution’s credibility. McGehee argued that allowing members facing credible accusations of wrongdoing to serve out their terms would be a “farce.”
Collateral damage and remaining perks
While Swalwell exits the political stage, the human cost of the scandal remains. Many of his staffers have already resigned. Those who remain but are not involved in direct constituent services are expected to lose their jobs without severance pay.
Daniel Schuman, executive director of the American Governance Institute, has criticized this practice as unfair, stating that the House owes a duty to the employees who must endure the fallout of a representative’s misconduct.
Despite the circumstances of his departure, Swalwell remains eligible for his congressional pension and several former-member perks, including access to the congressional gym and the ability to enter the House floor. He stated he is currently working with his remaining staff to ensure the needs of the 14th district continue to be met during the transition.
Broader calls for accountability
The Swalwell and Gonzales resignations may be the beginning of a wider purge. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) has called for the resignation or expulsion of two other members: Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who faces sexual assault accusations, and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), who was indicted for allegedly laundering $5 million in federal disaster funds for political use.
Reps. Swalwell, Gonzales, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mills should resign. If they refuse, they should be expelled. Americans deserve better and Congress must hold our members accountable.
The next immediate step rests with the state of California. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office stated it is currently reviewing the matter and will make an official announcement regarding the replacement for the vacant seat once the resignation is formally processed.
This story is developing. We invite readers to share their perspectives on congressional accountability in the comments below.
