California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez built his political brand around fatherhood. He founded the congressional Dads Caucus.
He famously carried his newborn son in a sling around his neck during marathon House speaker votes in January 2023. He presented himself, consistently and publicly, as a devoted husband and family man.
That image collapsed Tuesday when Gomez admitted he had been unfaithful to his wife.
The confession came after the New York Post identified the woman involved as Yardena Wolf — at the time the chief of staff for Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of Gomez’s closest friends in Congress.
Gomez was 48 years old when the encounter occurred. His son was 11 months old. Wolf was 29.
The two were spotted in a compromising position outside a party hosted by Swalwell at his home near the Capitol during the congressional summer recess of 2023. While the majority of guests remained in Swalwell’s backyard, Gomez and Wolf were seen together near a car out front.
They were not alone. A group of Democratic aides waiting for a rideshare witnessed the moment. So did another aide who had stepped outside to smoke a cigarette.
Two of those witnesses gave detailed accounts to the Post shortly after Swalwell resigned from Congress in April 2026 under a separate cloud of sexual misconduct allegations.
When the Post first contacted both Gomez and Wolf in April, each denied the encounter ever took place. Both acknowledged attending the party but rejected all accounts of what witnesses described.
Wolf is still denying it. “It remains not true,” she told the Post in a text message.
Sources who spoke to the Post painted a different picture of Gomez behind the scenes.
Multiple Democratic insiders described him, in contrast to his carefully maintained public persona, as someone whose private conduct did not match his public messaging.
One Democratic congressional aide who personally saw what happened outside Swalwell’s home drew a direct line between Wolf and her former boss.
“She and Swalwell are two peas in a pod,” the aide said. “… When they get caught, they gaslight the s–t out of you to make you question your sanity.”
A second witness to the incident told the Post the Gomez-Wolf relationship was “literally the biggest open secret in Democratic politics.” That same source added: “[Gomez] clearly already lied about this whole thing once already. Neither of them can really be trusted.”
A third Democrat, who did not personally witness a compromising encounter, told the Post they had received accounts of multiple separate incidents from colleagues they considered reliable.
Wolf was no minor figure in Democratic politics at the time of the incident.
She had spent roughly two years as Swalwell’s top staffer when the encounter took place. By 2024 she had received a profile in Elle magazine.
That same year she and Swalwell jointly launched an AI-powered political fundraising platform called Findraiser. Gomez was listed among its clients.
Gomez broke his months-long silence with a statement to CNN on Tuesday.
“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family,” he said. He added: “Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most.” He concluded: “I sincerely apologize to my wife, family, friends and the people that I have the privilege to serve.”
The Ethics Committee had already opened an investigation following the Post’s April reporting.
According to CNN, which cited three sources familiar with the probe, the panel subsequently uncovered additional allegations of sexual misconduct against Gomez beyond the original incident — broadening the scope of its inquiry.
Gomez stated he would cooperate fully.
His spokesperson declined to confirm whether the Tuesday confession pertained specifically to the reported encounter with Wolf.
Unlike his close ally Swalwell, who faces allegations of rape involving a congressional aide, Gomez has not been publicly accused of any criminal conduct.
The scandal’s timing was notable. News of the confession broke the same day Californians voted in the state’s nonpartisan jungle primary.
It did not stop Gomez from advancing. He captured roughly 46 percent of the vote in his deep-blue Los Angeles district.
Left-wing challenger Angela Gonzales-Torres finished a distant second at approximately 25.6 percent, also qualifying for the November 3 general election.
Gomez has not indicated any intention to resign.
