Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzalez to step down after allegations of misconduct involving staffers
Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzalez have said they will resign from the US House of Representatives following accusations of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell, first elected to Congress in 2013, denied the allegations, claiming they were part of an effort to derail his campaign for governor of his home state of California, where he had been one of the top contenders. He suspended his campaign on Sunday and announced plans to leave Congress the following day.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in a statement on X. He criticized calls for a vote to expel him, but added that “it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties.”
According to CNN, four women have accused Swalwell of misconduct, including a former staffer who alleged that the politician raped her in 2019 and 2024 while she was heavily intoxicated. Other women alleged that Swalwell groped them and sent explicit messages and nude photos.
In 2023, Swalwell was removed from the House Intelligence Committee following an Axios report that he had contacts with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.
Gonzalez, a Republican from Texas, suspended his re-election campaign last month after it was revealed that he had an affair with an aide who died by suicide in 2025. Gonzalez, who was first elected to Congress in 2021, admitted to the affair, describing it as “a lapse in judgment.” On Monday, he said he would formally submit his resignation the next day when Congress returns to session.
