Two members of Congress to step down amid sexual misconduct allegations

(SeaPRwire) –   Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzalez are set to resign following allegations of inappropriate conduct involving staff members

Democratic representative Eric Swalwell and Republican representative Tony Gonzalez have announced their upcoming resignations from the U.S. House of Representatives in the wake of sexual misconduct accusations.

First elected to Congress in 2013, Swalwell has rejected the allegations, asserting that they are part of a plot to sabotage his gubernatorial campaign in his home state of California, where he was previously seen as a leading candidate. He halted his campaign on Sunday and revealed plans to exit Congress the very next day.

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell shared in a post on X. He pushed back against demands for an expulsion vote, but went on to add that “it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties.”

Per CNN reporting, four women have come forward with misconduct claims against Swalwell, among them a former staff member who alleges the lawmaker raped her in 2019 and 2024 when she was severely inebriated. Additional women have claimed that Swalwell groped them and sent unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos.

Back in 2023, Swalwell was ousted from the House Intelligence Committee after an Axios report revealed he had interactions with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.

Gonzalez, a Republican from Texas, suspended his re-election bid last month after it came to light that he had an affair with an aide who died by suicide in 2025. Gonzalez, who first won his congressional seat in 2021, admitted to the affair, describing it as “a lapse in judgment.” He stated on Monday that he would formally submit his resignation the next day when Congress returns to session.