Politics
BREAKING: Eric Swalwell Resigns From Congress
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) announced Monday that he will be resigning from Congress. The announcement comes less than 24 hours after he suspended his California gubernatorial campaign over multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault.
In his announcement, Swalwell acknowledged ongoing efforts to expel him from Congress, which picked up steam throughout the day.
“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,” the congressman announced in a written statement.
In follow-up remarks, he denied the allegations against him while also issuing an apology. “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” he said, adding his plans to “fight the serious, false allegation made against me.”
“However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” the statement continued. Swalwell further stated that he will be coordinating with his staff and constituents to ensure a clean exit in the coming days.
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) April 13, 2026
The allegations surfaced publicly on April 10 and 11 through reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. One former staffer who worked in Swalwell’s congressional office from 2019 to 2021 alleged that she had sexual encounters with him during her employment and that he sexually assaulted her on two occasions when she was too intoxicated to consent.
One of the alleged assaults took place in a New York City hotel room. That allegation is currently being investigated by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
CNN separately reported accusations from three additional women who described sexual advances by Swalwell and said he sent them explicit photos and messages.
Despite owning up to some level of misconduct, Swalwell has denied the criminal allegations against him and has suggested he will be pursuing legal action against his accusers. He has also claimed the entire scandal is politically motivated, as the allegations emerged in the weeks leading up to the California gubernatorial all-party primary.
Swalwell — who had been the leading Democrat in the race prior to the allegations — suspended his campaign on Sunday night.
Ultimately, the suspension followed a near total collapse of the campaign. The congressman had lost all of his most coveted endorsements — including those from all members of congress — while dozens of staffers resigned and called for him to withdraw from the race.
In order to fill Swalwell’s seat, California Governor Gavin Newsom is required under state law to issue a proclamation calling for a special election within 14 calendar days.
The special election itself follows a structured timeline under the California Elections Code. It is conducted on a Tuesday that falls at least 126 days but no more than 140 days after the governor issues the proclamation.
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