Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell introduced on Monday that he plans to resign his seat in Congress within the wake of sexual assault allegations that sparked requires him to give up or be topic to an expulsion vote. His announcement comes simply at some point after he suspended his marketing campaign for California governor.
In an announcement on X, Swalwell posted that he’s “deeply sorry” to his household, employees and constituents however that “he’ll combat the intense, false allegation made towards me.”
“I’m conscious of efforts to carry a direct expulsion vote towards me and different members. Expelling anybody in Congress with out due course of, inside days of an allegation being made, is improper,” Swalwell stated. “Nevertheless it’s additionally improper for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Subsequently, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
California gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Eric Swalwell seems at a city corridor assembly in Sacramento, Calif., April 7, 2026.
Wealthy Pedroncelli/AP
Swalwell’s announcement comes on the identical day that the Home Ethics Committee stated it was launching an investigation into the allegations towards him.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida stated Saturday that she deliberate to drive a vote this week to expel Swalwell if he didn’t resign. In a assertion on X following Swalwell’s announcement that he’ll resign, Luna stated, “He made the right resolution, however there nonetheless must be a full-fledged prison investigation.”
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that an ex-staffer had sexual encounters with Swalwell when he was her boss, and alleged that he sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent. As well as, CNN has reported on three extra girls who detailed allegations of inappropriate conduct by Swalwell.
ABC Information has not independently verified the accounts as reported by The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN.
Swalwell didn’t say particularly when he plans to step down. As soon as Swalwell does resign, Home Democrats can be all the way down to 213 members. Republicans are anticipated to swear of their 218th member on Tuesday night — Clay Fuller, who received a particular election in Georgia final week — and unbiased Rep. Kevin Kiley nonetheless conferences with Republicans, which might give Speaker Mike Johnson 219 votes.
It will likely be as much as California Gov. Gavin Newsom if or when Swalwell’s seat can be crammed earlier than the top of his time period, in line with California statutes.
Vacancies within the U.S. Home of Representatives are normally crammed by particular (off-cycle) elections, which may happen even throughout a yr the place those self same Home seats are up for normal election.
Nevertheless, a spokesperson for the workplace of the California Secretary of State pointed ABC Information to the state’s election code, which says that if “a emptiness happens in a congressional workplace after the shut of the nomination interval within the ultimate yr of the time period of workplace, the Governor could decline to problem an election proclamation at his discretion.”
Qualifying for the poll in California closed in early March, and Swalwell’s present time period in Congress ends after this yr, that means that Newsom has the selection of whether or not to name a particular election or not.
Newsom’s workplace, reached for remark by ABC Information, stated it’s reviewing the matter and can make an official announcement as soon as the seat is formally vacant.
