Eric Swalwell says he will resign from Congress in wake of sexual assault allegations

Washington — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell said Monday he will resign from Congress as he faces allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct from several women. 

“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members,” he said in a statement. “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.” 

Swalwell’s political career imploded as multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, including rape and unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos. The congressman ended his campaign for California governor on Sunday as he hemorrhaged support.

In his resignation announcement, Swalwell again apologized for past “mistakes in judgment,” but vowed to fight the “serious, false allegation.” The statement seemingly referred to the claims made by a former staffer, whose story was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday. 

“However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” Swalwell said in his statement.

The woman accused Swalwell of having sex with her when she was too intoxicated to consent in 2019 and 2024. Three other women also detailed Swalwell’s alleged sexual misconduct to CNN. 

The bipartisan House Ethics Committee announced earlier Monday it was investigating Swalwell. Swalwell’s resignation is all but certain to end the ethics investigation as the committee only has jurisdiction over current members and staff.  

Swalwell’s resignation follows some of his closest allies in Congress distancing themselves from him in the wake of the allegations. Minutes before Swalwell’s announcement was posted, Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona said his friend was “no longer fit” to serve in Congress and should be expelled. 

“I trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew,” Gallego said. 

Swalwell did not give a date for his resignation, saying he would work with his staff in the coming days to ensure they are able to continue serving his constituents once he steps down. 

The House was expected to vote in the coming days on whether to expel Swalwell, though it was unclear whether it had the two-thirds majority support it needed to successfully remove him from office. In the past, lawmakers have cited Ethics Committee investigations as reason to hold off on making any judgment until the panel has concluded its work. The House has expelled just six members in its history. 

Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who was leading the expulsion effort, said Swalwell made the right decision to resign ahead of the vote to remove him. 

“He made the correct decision, but there still needs to be a full-fledged criminal investigation,” Luna said. 

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed to CBS News on Sunday that it is investigating allegations against Swalwell.