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Under mounting pressure from fellow politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, Eric Swalwell announced his plans Monday to resign from Congress.
The decision follows his announcement a day earlier that he is suspending his gubernatorial campaign while he focuses on trying to clear his name of multiple sexual assault allegations made public Friday in reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN.
He did not specify a timeline in either of his separate statements for ending his campaign officially – as suspension does not necessarily mean he’s dropped out completely – or resigning from his seat.
While he vehemently denies the allegations and has not at this time been charged with a crime, his resignation statement included an apology for previous “mistakes in judgment,” of which he did not elaborate further.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgement I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in a statement posted to X Monday afternoon. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
In his statement, Swalwell also addressed reports that many of his colleagues in the House of Representatives were making plans to immediately expel him and others from their seats on the legislative body.
“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,” he wrote. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
This was already supposed to be Swalwell’s last year representing District 14. Nine candidates are on the June 2 primary election ballot seeking to succeed Swalwell in Congress.
In the reports from the two media outlets Friday, a total of four women accused Swalwell of misconduct, including a former staffer’s claims that he raped her in his New York City hotel room.
Just hours before Swalwell announced his plans to resign from Congress, the House Ethics Committee formally opened an investigation into the allegations.
“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 wrote in a press release Monday, adding that no additional comment would be made on the matter.
