At least seven Democratic members of the House called on Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) to resign from Congress amid sexual assault allegations before the House gaveled back in on April 13 following a recess, with several vowing to vote for his expulsion if he refuses.
Swalwell suspended his bid for California governor on April 12 but has not indicated he will leave Congress.
In an April 11 post to social media, Swalwell said the allegations made against him are false.
“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen, they have never happened. I will fight them with everything I have. They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the front-runner candidate for governor in California,” he said.
“I do not suggest to you in any way that I’m perfect or that I’m a saint. I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife, and to her, I apologize deeply for putting her in this position. I also apologize to you if in any way you have doubted your support for me.”
“I would. I’ve already said that I think that these charges and allegations, and the pattern of abuse, in Congressman Gonzalez’s case, he actually admitted to the harassment with his staffer,” Jayapal said when asked by NBC’s Kristen Welker if she would vote to remove him. “This is also important for staffers across the Capitol to see that their bosses don’t get to do this to them.”
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) said in a post on X that she would introduce a resolution to expel Gonzales and support an existing resolution to expel Swalwell.
“Men in power rely on the silence of the women they have abused,” Fernández wrote in a statement posted to X. “Both Reps. Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell believed it was acceptable to sexually abuse staff and still run for and serve in elected office. They clearly did not expect there would be any consequences for their actions. Thankfully, the women refused to be silenced.”
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) wrote in an April 11 post on X that Swalwell “all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate. He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress.”
“Remaining in either role while these allegations hang unresolved is an insult to every person who has ever worked for him, reported to him, or placed their trust in him,” the former staffers wrote.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said she would file a motion to expel Swalwell. Expelling a member of the House requires a two-thirds majority vote.
The Epoch Times did not receive an immediate response from the offices of Swalwell and Gonzales for comment prior to publication.
