Eric Swalwell to resign from Congress as pressure mounts over misconduct claims

One of Rep. Eric Swalwell’s closest friends in Congress is turning his back on the California Democrat following multiple bombshell accusations of sexual assault against the former gubernatorial candidate.

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who was once described by Swalwell as his “best friend in the world,” announced his support to expel the lawmaker Monday, just minutes before Swalwell announced his resignation plans.

“I support the ethics committee’s investigation and believe Eric Swalwell is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress. He should be expelled from Congress,” Gallego said.

"I want to be clear: I had no knowledge of the allegations of assault, harassment, and predatory behavior against Eric Swalwell.”

"The women who have come forward have shown courage," he added. "They deserve to be believed, to be supported, and to see justice served."

The announcement comes as the Arizona senator signaled in early April that he is considering a potential run for president in 2028.

Fox News Digital's Alex Miller contributed to this report.

Rep. Eric Swalwell’s planned resignation will effectively end the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into his mounting allegations of sexual misconduct.

According to the congressional website, the committee’s jurisdiction is limited to current members of Congress, meaning it cannot investigate individuals who resign from office.

“Since the Ethics Committee was created in 1967, numerous Members have left the House after court convictions, after inquiries were initiated, or after charges were brought by the committee before completion of House action,” a Congressional Research Service report stated.

“Regardless of the potential offense, a Member's departure from the House ends a case, as the committee does not have jurisdiction over former Members.”

Eric Swalwell announced his resignation just hours after the House Ethics Committee said it was opening a probe into sexual misconduct allegations against him, including claims involving an employee working under his supervision.

Swalwell has not yet officially exited office. The California Democrat must submit a formal letter of resignation to Gov. Gavin Newsom and House Speaker Mike Johnson while the chamber is in session. The House is scheduled to return Tuesday.

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, abruptly announced his decision to resign from Congress Monday evening amid calls for him to step aside after admitting to sexual misconduct with a staffer earlier this year.

The embattled lawmaker was facing an anticipated expulsion vote that could have occurred as early as this week.

"There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office," Gonzales wrote on social media. "It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas."

It is currently unclear when Gonzales will formally resign. A spokesperson for Gonzales did not immediately respond to request for comment.

This is an excerpt from a report by Adam Pack.

A woman with "serious sexual misconduct allegations" against Rep. Eric Swalwell will hold a press conference Tuesday to publicly detail her claims, according to her attorneys.

The briefing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. PT in Beverly Hills, California, and will be livestreamed.

An advisory from The Bloom Firm added that attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali will attend the event and outline “the next legal steps.”

The announcement comes just hours before Rep. Eric Swalwell officially announced plans to resign from Congress amid growing calls to expel the California Democrat from office.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, co-host of “The View,” said Monday that Rep. Eric Swalwell’s reputation with women was an “open secret” that made him potentially exploitable by U.S. adversaries, while referencing his prior controversy tied to a 2014 reelection campaign and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.

"Swalwell sat on the intel committee, and there were allegations he had a suspected Chinese spy, Fang Fang, who was associated with him in his office," she said.

"Now, he was not found to have engaged in wrongdoing, but to me, my spidey senses from having worked at the Pentagon go off, which is it was an open secret that he had issues with women, that he was somebody who was susceptible, potentially to heavy drinking, to impropriety with women."

Griffin stated that foreign adversaries, including Chinese intelligence, exploit personal secrets to gain leverage, and argued that Swalwell’s conduct exemplified that risk.

She also suggested that because it was a known vulnerability among adversaries, allegations surrounding Swalwell were likely widely known in Washington before reaching foreign intelligence services.

"America’s adversaries look for how to exploit that," she continued. "So that, to me, pinpoints it was openly known. Nobody did anything about it. But thank God that now Democrats, Adam Schiff and others and others have called for him to step aside, and he did the right thing by doing it."

Fox News Digital's Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

Rep. Eric Swalwell announced Monday that he is planning to resign from Congress following major accusations of sexual assault involving multiple women, amid a surge of lawmakers announcing support for efforts to expel him.

“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members,” Swalwell said. “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 added that he plans to work with his staff in the coming days to ensure they are able to continue serving California’s 14th Congressional District effectively in his absence.

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Rep. Eric Swalwell is under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, led by Alvin Bragg, in connection with allegations that he sexually assaulted a former staffer following a 2024 gala in New York City.

The former employee alleged she met the congressman for drinks around 11:30 p.m. on April 25, 2024, according to a report first published Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle.

According to the local outlet, the former employee said she could only recall fragments of the night but remembered telling Swalwell “no.” She ultimately told a friend three days later that she believed she had been sexually assaulted.

She further claimed she remained silent for years out of fear of retaliation, but said she believes the public has a right to transparency as the California primary approaches in June. Swalwell eventually announced the suspension of his California gubernatorial campaign Sunday.

"I have no skin in the game of who becomes governor of California, but I feel people have a right to know whether the person who leads a state that is a safe haven for so many women actually treats women with dignity and will protect their rights," she said, according to the Chronicle. "No one protected me from him, and so I have to protect the other young women like me who aspire to work in this field and he could prey upon."

The investigation comes as the House Ethics Committee announced Monday it is also opening a probe into allegations that Swalwell assaulted an employee working under his supervision in a separate sexual misconduct case.

Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said there may be enough support in the House to expel Rep. Eric Swalwell from Congress following bombshell accusations that he sexually assaulted multiple women, according to The Hill.

Over the weekend, lawmakers from both parties have publicly backed efforts to remove Swalwell from office, including Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M.; Addison McDowell, R-N.C.; Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; Nancy Mace, R-S.C.; Ro Khanna, D-Calif.; Jared Huffman, D-Calif.; and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.

Luna was among the first political figures to announce she would file a motion to expel Eric Swalwell from Congress, alleging the “predator” violated House rules.

“I am filing a motion to expel Eric Swalwell from Congress,” she said in a post on X Saturday.

Fernandez quickly followed with a statement publicly backing the resolution, while also saying Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, should also face expulsion over similar sexual misconduct allegations.

“Reps. Gonzales and Swalwell are not fit to serve," she said in a post on X Sunday. "They must resign. If they do not, I will vote to expel them."

The congresswoman added that she believes “the votes are there” to expel the two representatives, according to The Hill.

Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote of the House, while a simple majority is sufficient to table or refer the matter to committee.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy delivered a scathing rebuke of Rep. Eric Swalwell on Sunday, alleging that concerns about the California Democrat’s behavior have circulated Capitol Hill for years, leaving many lawmakers uneasy about his presence.

“Every member in Congress knows not to let any young staffer get around Swalwell,” McCarthy said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“It's not a secret there,” he added. “He was the leading candidate for governor. He probably could have won the primary and gotten there. But this all came forward. And these young women deserve justice."

McCarthy added that he attempted to strip Swalwell of influential roles after receiving a FBI briefing alleging that the California Democrat had ties to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative linked to efforts to bolster his 2014 reelection campaign.

“I tried to get rid of Swalwell six, eight years ago, when I got the briefing, when I became leader with the FBI," he said.

“And let me just say this, as someone who knows at least one of the victims that have come forward, I'm very concerned.”

The House Committee on Ethics has opened an investigation into allegations Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif. 

"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 House Ethics Committee wrote in a statement Monday. 

The committee emphasized that the decision to investigate and publicly disclose the matter does not mean a violation has occurred. It said no further public comment will be made except in accordance with committee rules.

The statement was released under Committee Rule 7.

Swalwell has denied wrongdoing, but he has suspended his California gubernatorial primary campaign.

"To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past," Swalwell wrote Sunday on X.

"I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s."

While Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has suspended his campaign, his name cannot be removed from the ballot at this point, making him another potential spoiler for Democrats in the deep-blue state.

Swalwell's name will still be there among seven established Democrats and two leading Republicans on a primary ballot with more than 50 candidates.

The leading candidate in the race, Steve Hilton, recently received President Donald Trump's endorsement and expects Democrat "consolidation."

"I think what you're going to see, actually, is a consolidation on the Democrat side," Hilton told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" co-host Bill Hemmer on Monday.

"I think that Swalwell's support will be split between those two very unattractive options, Katie Porter and Tom Steyer. That means you'll expect to see them going up a bit in their support, and that means that actually it's very important on the Republican side that we get behind one candidate.

"Obviously, that should be the leading candidate, the one that's endorsed by the President, and that's me."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton on Monday accused California Democrats of concealing allegations surrounding Rep. Eric Swalwell’s now-suspended bid for governor, arguing the fallout has exposed what he called a power-driven political establishment and created an opening for broader change in the state.

“We knew this has been an open secret on Capitol Hill and in Sacramento as long as he’s been in the race for California governor," Hilton told Fox Business' “Varney & Co." on Monday.

He added that the Democrats' “outrage” and public distancing now were “totally fake” because “they just got caught.”

Asked whether Swalwell could be removed from Congress, Hilton said “there’s a lot of energy behind that movement” and pointed to Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., as one of the “leading voices” raising the idea. But Hilton quickly pivoted away from Swalwell, saying his focus is on building a statewide coalition behind his own campaign.

“To be completely honest with you, I don’t care,” Hilton said. “I’m not thinking about Eric Swalwell at all. I’m thinking about the future of California and how we really pull together a movement of Republicans, Democrats, independents, everyone.”

Hilton also used the interview to argue he holds the advantage in the Republican contest for governor, dismissing concerns that divisions inside the California GOP could weaken the party heading into the election.

“The voters aren’t split. I’m clearly leading,” Hilton said, claiming he was ahead in polling even before receiving Trump’s endorsement. He described a recent party convention result that did not produce a clear favorite as an “insider game,” and said the split outcome amounted to a win for his outsider campaign.

“The real endorsement that matters, of course, is the president’s,” Hilton said, predicting Trump’s backing would widen his lead among Republican voters statewide.

Rep. Eric Swalwell was one of the Democrats calling for President Trump's removal from office last week, but now the congressman is facing calls to resign from Congress or face expulsion.

"The President must be removed. If Congress is too cowardly to do it, his own Cabinet must," Swalwell declared in a Tuesday post on X.

But as Swalwell faces allegations of sexual misconduct, and even rape, members on both sides of the political aisle have called for him resign, or face expulsion from Congress.

The congressman announced on Sunday that he was suspending his California gubernatorial bid.

"I am suspending my campaign for Governor. 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," he wrote in a post on X.

The list of House Democrats calling for Rep. Eric Swalwell to resign from Congress is growing, making it appear likely that the congressman, who has served in the legislative chamber for more than a decade, may not serve as a lawmaker much longer.

"Congress should not tolerate representatives who abuse staff, betray public trust for personal gain, and generally violate their oath of office. Reps. Swalwell, Gonzales, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mills should resign. If they refuse, they should be expelled," Rep. Nydia Velazquez declared in a Monday post on X. "Americans deserve better and Congress must hold our members accountable."

Democratic Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., said during an appearance on CNN that Swalwell should resign from office, and that "Congress should take action if my colleague doesn't."

The push to forcibly remove multiple scandal-ridden members of Congress is picking up steam with several potential expulsion votes on deck this week.

Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, are expected to face an immediate expulsion threat when the House returns from a two-week recess on Tuesday. 

Swalwell, who dropped out of California’s 2026 gubernatorial race Sunday, is facing multiple sexual assault and misconduct allegations, including at least one involving a former staffer. The Manhattan district attorney’s office has also opened a criminal investigation into an incident that allegedly occurred in New York City.

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California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter, a former House Democrat, and Cheyenne Hunt, "don't have a relationship to speak of," according to a Porter campaign spokesperson, CBS News California reported.

Hunt has been in communication with women accusing Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct.

"Swalwell has been exposed as a predator, but this fight is far from over. More women are reaching out to me every day. His lawyers are trying to intimidate them, but it's not working - we have their backs," Hunt wrote in a Sunday post on X

CBS News reported that Porter and Hunt both have ties with University of California Irvine School of Law, noting that Porter is a professor and Hunt has a degree from the institution.

The report indicates that Hunt enrolled at the educational establishment in fall 2018 while Porter was running for Congress, and that Porter kept residing in on-campus housing as she served in the legislature while she was on leave from her teaching post.

Porter gave the commencement address during Hunt's 2021 graduation, according to UCI, the outlet reported.

Hunt, who was running for Congress at the time, posted a photograph of herself alongside of Porter in 2023.

"They don't have a relationship to speak of," Porter campaign spokesperson Peter Opitz said, according to the outlet. "In fact, Katie endorsed a different candidate when she was running in a neighboring district."

Fox News Digital on Monday reached out to Porter's campaign and direct messaged Hunt on X.

With Rep. Eric Swalwell exiting the California gubernatorial race, the battle to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom becomes even more uncertain and turbulent ahead of the early June primary.

Public opinion surveys indicated that Swalwell was the top polling Democrat in the race, ahead of former Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire Tom Steyer, who’s flooded the airwaves with ads since declaring his candidacy in November. Both Porter and Steyer on Friday had called on Swalwell to suspend his gubernatorial campaign and resign from Congress.

The crowded field of Democrats also includes former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

There are two major Republicans in the race: conservative commentator and former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton last weekend, which appears to be boosting his support. But Trump’s backing wasn’t enough to put Hilton over the top this weekend at the California GOP annual convention. Neither Hilton nor Bianco was able to top the 60% support of delegates threshold needed to earn the state party’s endorsement.

Democrats and Republicans appear on the same ballot in the June 2 primary, with the top two finishers advancing to November’s general election. Early voting in the primary begins on May 4.

Former Republican National Committee chair and current GOP North Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley indicated that Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell should be expelled from Congress.

"Yes, he absolutely should," Whatley said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends First" when asked whether the House lawmaker should be expelled from office.

Whatley suggested that "from crime and illegal aliens to national security and impeaching the president, doing everything he can to fight President Trump's America First Agenda," the House Democrat is the "face" of his party and "has no place in Congress at all"

Swalwell, who has faced sexual misconduct allegations, announced on Sunday that he was suspending his California gubernatorial campaign.

Democratic lawmakers are calling for fellow House Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell to resign, and some have gone as far as saying they would vote to expel Swalwell from Congress.

Swalwell, a California Democrat, has been accused of sexual misconduct.

Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Eugene Vindman of Virginia have said Swalwell should resign from office.

Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Jared Huffman of California, and Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico have indicated that Swalwell should resign, but if he does not, they would vote to boot him from Congress.   

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced on Sunday night that he was suspending his Golden State gubernatorial bid.

The lawmaker's race for the governorship has recently been roiled by sexual misconduct allegations.

"I am suspending my campaign for Governor. To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past," Swalwell wrote in the Sunday night post on X.

"I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s," he added.