California Congressman Eric Swalwell has announced his intent to resign from Congress.
‘I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,’ Swalwell wrote in a statement released Monday afternoon.
‘I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress,’ he added.
‘I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district,’ he concluded.
Swalwell was set to face a new fight on Capitol Hill after being slapped with a fresh investigation following bombshell ‘sexual misconduct’ allegations.
The Ethics Committee opened an investigation into the top Democrat earlier on Monday, and pledged to ‘gather additional information regarding the allegations that Representative Eric Swalwell violated the Code of Official Conduct.’
The complaint states the investigation covers ‘allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.’
The Committee also added ‘that the mere fact that it is investigating these allegations, and publicly disclosing its review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.’
Eric Swalwell appears at a town hall meeting in Sacramento, California on April 7
Ally Sammarco previously worked for Swalwell, and has accused him of improper sexual conduct
Eric Swalwell and his wife Brittany Watts attend a gala in 2022
Swalwell dropped his bid for California Governor over the weekend after a woman claimed she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss.
She alleged that the married Swalwell raped her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent in 2019 and 2024. She is one of the four women who have made allegations against the Democrat.
Swalwell announced he was suspending his campaign and is ‘deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.’
‘I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.’
Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales are both being targeted following disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct with past subordinates.
Gonzales abandoned his congressional reelection bid last month amid pressure over an alleged affair with a subordinate who killed herself.
Eric Swalwell speaks during the California Democratic Convention in San Francisco on February 21st
A view of the U.S. Capitol dome on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, April 13
Both men were pressured into their career-ending actions by leaders within their own political parties.
Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of Florida noted on X Monday afternoon that she is ‘being told there will be more disgusting stuff coming out on Swalwell in the next 24 hours.’
‘For the members of Congress who are concerned about optics on expelling Swalwell, I think after the information drops you will be thinking otherwise. Eric, why don’t you tell us a little about who was filming the video of the female sex worker,’ she added.
A video of Swalwell and a woman in a bed made the rounds on X Monday, and at least two other individuals appeared to be present at the time. Swalwell is married to his wife of nine years, Brittany Watts, and is a father of three young children.
Luna and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico are both calling for Swalwell and Gonzales to resign or face an expulsion vote from their colleagues.
But they could also be axed alongside Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Republican Cory Mills, both Florida Representatives.
Cherfilus-McCormick was found guilty by a House Ethics panel last month of numerous violations of House rules and ethics standards, including the alleged theft of $5 million in taxpayer funds.