Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign after sexual
misconduct allegations
[April 14, 2026]
By KEVIN FREKING, LISA MASCARO and JOEY CAPPELLETTI
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced
Monday he will resign from Congress following sexual assault and
misconduct allegations that prompted loud bipartisan calls for him to
step down.
The decision caps a swift political fall for the seven-term lawmaker,
who had been seen as one of the leading candidates in California’s
gubernatorial race before dropping out Sunday after the allegations
surfaced, claims he has continued to deny.
The San Francisco Chronicle, followed by CNN, first reported allegations
that Swalwell had sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she
worked for him. CNN also reported that three other women alleged various
kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell — including sending them
unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in
judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said on social media. “I will
fight the serious false allegation made against me. However, I must take
responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
The House Ethics Committee had begun an investigation into whether
Swalwell engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under
his supervision, the panel announced Monday. Other lawmakers were
pushing for a quick vote to expel him from Congress.
Another lawmaker, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, said Monday
that he would file his "retirement from office" when Congress returns
Tuesday. Gonzales, who had already said he would not seek reelection,
gave no further details on his plans to step down.
Gonzales had acknowledged an affair with a staff member who later died
by suicide and was also facing renewed calls for an expulsion vote in
the wake of the allegations against Swalwell.
Several Democrats had quickly called on Swalwell to resign in the days
after the allegations came to light, including prominent allies such as
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego. California Sen. Adam Schiff, who withdrew
his endorsement for Swalwell's gubernatorial bid, told reporters Monday
that “the whole thing is just shocking and deeply upsetting.”
“I think he made the right decision to resign,” Schiff said.
Swalwell wrote in the statement posted to social media that he was
“aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote” and that it was
“wrong” without due process.
“But it's also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my
duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress,” Swalwell
wrote. He did not provide a timeframe, saying only that he would work
with his staff in the coming days to ensure their work can continue.
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California gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.,
appears at a town hall meeting in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, April
7, 2026. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represents a House
district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in
April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to
catch on with voters.
Swalwell was one of Donald Trump’s top Democratic antagonists in
Congress, serving as a prominent member of the House Judiciary and
Intelligence committees during the president’s first term and as one
of several Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment
after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
He was removed from the intel committee by then-House Speaker Kevin
McCarthy in 2023 based on his contact with a suspected Chinese spy,
Christine Fang.
Fang was reported to have come into contact with Swalwell’s campaign
as he was first running for Congress in 2012 and participated in
fundraising for his 2014 campaign.
Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their concerns and briefed
Congress about Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell says he cut off
contact with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a House
Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two
years later without any action.
Swalwell’s planned departure from the House will trigger a special
election in his district, which he won by over 30 percentage points
in 2024. In California, the governor is responsible for calling a
special election, which he must do “within 14 calendar days of the
occurrence of the vacancy,” according to state election law.
The future of the House Ethics probe is uncertain, as the panel
often ends its investigations when lawmakers resign. The Ethics
Committee said the mere fact that it is investigating the
allegations against Swalwell, and publicly disclosing its review,
does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.
—
Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington
contributed to this report.
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