Congressman Eric Swalwell has announced he will resign his California seat after being hit with explosive sexual assault and misconduct allegations.
The Democrat – who suspended his run for California governor on Sunday – apologized to his family and staff but insisted the claims against him are false.
Pressure had been mounting since Friday, when the San Francisco Chronicle published a bombshell report in which multiple women accused him of misconduct.
A former staffer also told CNN that Swalwell raped her while she was drunk. He has denied the allegation and vowed to fight it.
But over the weekend, his political career went into freefall.
By Monday afternoon, Swalwell confirmed he would step down from the House of Representatives.
‘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 for the mistakes I did make,’ he said in a statement.
He added that he was aware of efforts to force an immediate expulsion vote, warning that removing a lawmaker without due process ‘within days of an allegation being made’ would be wrong.
‘But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,’ he said. ‘Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.’
Swalwell said he would work with his staff in the coming days to ensure his district continues to be served after his departure.
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.
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.
