House Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Eric Swalwell over sexual misconduct allegations

Update: Rep. Eric Swalwell said Monday, April 13, that he plans to resign from Congress.

Washington — The bipartisan House Ethics Committee announced Monday it is investigating Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who faces several allegations of sexual misconduct.

The committee said it is looking into whether 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.” 

A spokesperson for Swalwell did not respond to a request for comment from CBS News. 

Swalwell ended his campaign for California governor and is facing possible expulsion from the House after a former staffer accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was too intoxicated to consent on two occasions in 2019 and 2024. Her story was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle last Friday. Three other women also detailed Swalwell’s alleged sexual misconduct to CNN. 

Swalwell has denied the allegations of sexual assault, calling them “flat false,” and has vowed to fight them. 

“I do not suggest to you in any way that I am perfect or that I am a saint. I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife,” he said in a video on Friday, two days before he ended his gubernatorial bid. 

Swalwell is also facing pressure to resign from the House. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, has threatened to force a vote as soon as this week to expel Swalwell. Several Democrats have said they would back the effort. 

The Ethics Committee, which conducts its investigative work in secret, is not known to move quickly, and lawmakers could use the investigation as cover to avoid expelling Swalwell immediately.

Luna told CBS News she intends to move forward with an expulsion resolution regardless of the the Ethics Committee’s announcement. 

“I’m still doing the resolution,” Luna said. “I think we have the votes. It’s nice that congressional Ethics is doing that. However, my issue with Ethics in the past is that people will use it as an off-ramp to get out of voting for expulsion.” 

Luna added that she will officially give notice of her intent to file a privileged motion on Tuesday, starting the clock for leadership to schedule a vote within two legislative days. Luna said she hopes a vote could be held Wednesday. 

“I’ve been talking to leadership for a while on some of my concerns with some of the members that we currently have serving and they have not asked me to back off,” she said. 

More than a dozen House Democrats in battleground districts wrote a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, urging them to “expedite” Ethics Committee investigations as several members face allegations of misconduct and possible expulsion votes. 

“As the House returns to session this week, we urge you to take immediate action,” said the letter, which was led by Democratic Rep. Susie Lee of Nevada. “We respectfully request that you work together in a bipartisan manner to ensure these investigations proceed swiftly, that findings are made public, and that action is brought to the floor for a vote.” 

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who was close with Swalwell and is seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2028, said Monday that the California congressman should be expelled. 

“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 in a statement. 

Gallego said he had “no knowledge” of the allegations against Swalwell, adding “it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew.”