A California congressman who once sat atop gubernatorial polling and spent years positioning himself as a leading progressive voice found his political career reduced to rubble Monday — the result of mounting sexual assault allegations, a formal congressional ethics inquiry, a criminal probe, and a cascade of abandonments by his closest political allies.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), a seven-term House member representing California’s 14th District, announced Monday he would resign his congressional seat. The decision came hours after the House Ethics Committee launched a formal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Four women came forward accusing Swalwell of sexual misconduct and sexual assault. The allegations first surfaced publicly through reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN.
The Ethics Committee’s chairman, Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS), and ranking member Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), issued a joint statement announcing the probe.
The statement read: “The Committee, pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a), has begun an investigation and will gather additional information regarding the allegations that Representative Eric Swalwell violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, with respect to allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.”
The committee added: “The Committee notes that the mere fact that it is investigating these allegations, and publicly disclosing its review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred. No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.”
A former staffer identified by the Chronicle described a pattern of alleged misconduct stretching back years. She stated that Swalwell — married and 17 years her senior at age 45 — attempted to kiss her in her car after she drove him home from a donor meeting one evening.
Weeks later, during another car ride, the woman alleged Swalwell exposed himself and solicited a sex act from her, which she said took place in a parking lot.
The most serious accusation involves an incident in 2024, in which the former staffer told CNN that Swalwell raped her after a night of heavy drinking, alleging she was “heavily intoxicated,” physically injured, and repeatedly told him to stop.
She described being left with bruises, cuts, and bleeding following the encounter.
The same woman also alleged a prior incident in 2019, when she said she woke up naked in a hotel room with Swalwell after drinking and had no memory of what occurred, though she believed sexual contact had taken place.
She was working in his office at the time.
According to her account, their relationship included private communication on Snapchat, where Swalwell sent sexual messages and explicit photos, and requested similar images from her.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office opened a criminal investigation into at least one incident that allegedly occurred in New York City. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said in a statement: “We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division.”
Swalwell denied the allegations. In a video, he called the allegations “flat false,” saying, “They did not happen; they have never happened.” He previously posted on social media: “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am 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.”
One of Swalwell’s most prominent allies, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego — who chaired his 2020 presidential campaign — wrote on X: “I support the ethics committee’s investigation and believe Eric Swalwell is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress. I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment, and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell,” adding that Swalwell was “not the person I thought I knew.”
California Sen. Adam Schiff, who withdrew his endorsement for Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid, told reporters: “The whole thing is just shocking and deeply upsetting. I think he made the right decision to resign.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna announced she would file a motion to force Swalwell’s expulsion from Congress. Expulsion has only been carried out six times in congressional history and requires a two-thirds majority vote.
Swalwell’s planned departure will trigger a special election in his district, which he won by over 30 percentage points in 2024. Under California law, the governor must call the special election within 14 calendar days of the vacancy occurring.
Separately, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency said it referred allegations that Swalwell illegally employed a Brazilian nanny to law enforcement officials at the Department of Homeland Security for investigation.
