Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., speaks during a House Democrat hearing marking the five-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol at the Capitol Visitor Center on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | getty images
Representative Eric Swalwell, the former Democratic candidate in the race for California governor, resigned from Congress on Monday amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Swalwell announced his resignation in a statement Posted on his ex accountWhile still denying some of the allegations made against him in recent times.
Swalwell said in the statement, “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for the mistakes in judgment I have made in the past. I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I made.”
Swalwell, 45, came to Congress in 2013 and was a top contender in the race for California governor. He briefly ran for president in 2019 San Francisco Chronicle A former congressional aide to Swalwell has accused Swalwell of multiple sexual encounters while he was her boss, reports said Friday. The woman alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two occasions when she was too intoxicated to give consent.
cnn It was also reported on Friday that three other women accused Swalwell of “various types of sexual misconduct”, including unwanted explicit messages and nude photos.
Swalwell has repeatedly denied these allegations.
His resignation over the weekend came amid growing calls for his removal from his Congress colleagues.
“I am aware of efforts to bring about an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members,” Swalwell said in his statement Monday. “It is wrong to expel someone from Congress without due process within days of allegations being made. But it is also wrong for my constituents to distract me from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., had announced her plan to introduce a resolution to expel Swalwell.
Representative. Teresa Leger Fernandez, The D-N.M. was one of a large group of Democrats who said they would support such a proposal. Fernandez said Sunday she would introduce a separate expulsion measure to oust Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who is surrounded by allegations that he had an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
Gonzales announced in March that he would not seek re-election, but Congress has not yet officially disciplined him.
Fernandez said in a statement, “As I have said, Gonzalez and Swalwell are not fit to serve in Congress given their sexual crimes against women who worked for them. They should resign or be expelled.” post on x.