California Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress amid mounting pressure from both Democrats and Republicans after multiple sexual misconduct allegations surfaced.
The 45-year-old lawmaker, who has served in the House since 2013, announced on Monday that he would resign following an investigation by the House Ethics Committee into the allegations. Swalwell denied the accusations, calling them “serious and false,” but said he would still leave his post.
“However, I must take responsibility and accept responsibility for the mistakes I have made,” Swalwell said in a statement, without explaining what those mistakes were.
He is still eligible for a pension and a congressional gym membership
Despite resigning amid scandal, Eric Swalwell He will still receive a congressional pension, federal health care benefits, the right to sit in the House of Representatives and a membership in a congressional gym, the same benefits all former members of Congress receive regardless of how they leave office, the New York Post reported.
That could help Swalwell, who is considered one of the less wealthy members of Congress. Reports say he used his retirement savings to support his California gubernatorial campaign. According to the Daily Mail, his congressional salary in 2024 will be approximately $184,000.
What led to his resignation?
Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from Dublin who has served in the House of Representatives since 2013, resigned after several women accused him of sexual misconduct, including a former staffer who accused him of rape. He resigned under intense pressure from both sides, just hours after a formal ethics investigation began.
The allegations were first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. Lawmakers from both parties reacted strongly, calling the accusations “abhorrent” and calling for him to resign or be removed from office.
The House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into the allegations on Monday. Meanwhile, Anna Paulina Luna said she was preparing to introduce a motion to expel him from the House of Representatives, with a vote possibly coming as early as Wednesday. She said the move was prompted by allegations that he had inappropriate relationships with subordinates, a violation of House rules.
In New York, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is also investigating sexual assault allegations made by a former staffer. Officials urged “survivors and anyone with information about these allegations to contact our Special Victims Unit.”
Swalwell resigned Monday night amid threats of firing, a criminal investigation and pressure from both sides. He had suspended his campaign for California governor the day before.
What did Swalwell say?
Eric Swalwell denied the accusations in his resignation statement, calling them “serious and false.” At the same time, he admitted that he had made some mistakes, but did not explain what they were.
“However, I must accept responsibility and accept responsibility for the mistakes I made,” he wrote.
He also disagreed with efforts to oust him, saying it was wrong to expel members of Congress “within days of accusations being filed without due process.” But he said it was wrong for his job to be affected.
“But it would also be wrong for my constituents to distract me from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress,” he said.
