Eric Swalwell Resigns From Congress After Suspending Governor Campaign Over Misconduct Allegations

Eric Swalwell has officially resigned from Congress just one day after he announced he was also dropping out of the California governor’s race amid a bevy of sexual misconduct allegations.

In a post shared on his official Congressional X account on Monday, April 13, he confirmed he will be resigning while still denying the allegations against him.

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” he wrote. “I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”

“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,” he wrote. “Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”

“I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district,” he added.

Swalwell announced on Sunday, April 9, in a similar post on X that he would be suspending his campaign to become the next governor of California. In that message, he also wrote that he planned to “fight the false allegations.”

The resignation and suspension of his campaign came after The San Francisco Chronicle published an article on Friday, April 10, in which a woman claimed Swalwell sexually assaulted her while she was too intoxicated to give consent.

According to the report, the woman joined Swalwell’s staff at age 21 in 2019. She said he immediately began sending her images of his genitals on Snapchat and pursuing her despite being 17 years her senior and married. While they engaged in a consensual sexual act once, she says he had sex with her after she got too drunk to consent and tried to do the same thing five years later.

That same day, CNN reported on three other women who are accusing Swalwell of sexual misconduct.

Swalwell, meanwhile, has repeatedly denied the first woman’s account of the situation, telling the Chronicle and CNN: “These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the frontrunner for governor. For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”

CNN reported that Swalwell’s attorney also sent two of his accusers cease-and-desist letters ordering them to retract their claims.