House ethics committee investigates Swalwell amid rising calls for his removal.

House Ethics Committee Investigates Rep. Eric Swalwell

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, as announced on Monday. This comes amidst allegations of sexual misconduct from at least four women, highlighting concerns about his behavior toward employees under his supervision.

The committee emphasized that the investigation itself does not imply any wrongdoing has occurred. Swalwell has publicly denied the accusations, labeling them as false claims that he intends to refute.

An allegation reported on Friday accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting a former employee twice while she was allegedly too intoxicated to consent. It has been revealed that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is conducting a criminal investigation related to at least one of those incidents, which reportedly took place in New York City.

The announcement regarding the Ethics Committee’s inquiry followed Swalwell’s decision to withdraw from the California gubernatorial race after considerable pressure from prominent Democrats, many of whom called for his exit. His campaign also lost the backing of several significant labor unions across California.

Earlier in the race, Swalwell was seen as a leading candidate to succeed California Governor Gavin Newsom, gaining considerable traction. However, an open letter signed by over 50 of his former staffers urged him to resign from Congress and withdraw from the gubernatorial bid, expressing unequivocal support for the accuser.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the allegations against Swalwell are “deeply concerning,” though he did not publicly request Swalwell to cease his campaign.

Despite the growing controversy, Swalwell has not shown any signs of resigning from Congress before his term concludes in January 2027. He is also being investigated for hiring a Brazilian nanny potentially in violation of federal immigration laws.

In response to the situation, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) plans to introduce a resolution to expel Swalwell unless he resigns voluntarily. A few notable Democrats, such as Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Teresa Leger Fernandez, have expressed support for this expulsion initiative as well.

Additionally, several California Democrats, including Reps. Ro Khanna, Sim Licciardo, and Jared Huffman, have called for Swalwell’s resignation or indicated their support for his expulsion.

Huffman, using social media, voiced strong sentiments regarding the allegations, suggesting that Swalwell has admitted to abuse of power through his actions. He insisted that Swalwell should resign from both the gubernatorial race and Congress.

Interestingly, Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas) is facing his own issues, having suspended his reelection campaign after admitting to an affair with a former staffer, which tragically ended in the aide’s death.