Long-time Democratic Party member Eric Swalwell has officially announced his resignation from Congress after a string of sexual assault allegations surfaced against him. The 45-year-old politician, who was one of the frontrunners in the California governor race, penned a detailed note on social media to confirm his renunciation, stating that he will contest all the “serious, false allegations.”
Eric Swalwell resigns from Congress over misconduct claims
On Sunday, April 12, the veteran Democrat took to social media to reveal that he is dropping out of the California governor race, in the wake of the assault allegations. Shortly afterward, he relinquished his seat in Congress in order to focus on the severe accusations against him.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Eric Swalwell wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “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.”
Notably, four women accused Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct last week, with charges ranging from harassment to rape (via CNN).
As such, Swalwell decided to not only abandon his gubernatorial campaign but also give up his seat in Congress. “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,” he stated in his resignation letter, as per KQED.
In the wake of Eric Swalwell’s resignation, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who is also facing an ethics inquiry, revealed that he will “file my retirement from office” via an X post.
While Swalwell did confirm his departure from Congress, he did not specify the date his resignation will come into action. Following his resignation, it would be California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision whether a special election would be held or not.
