Calls grow for Eric Swalwell to exit politics over sexual assault allegations
The air in the capital feels heavier than usual this week. Walls are closing in around Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who is now at the center of a criminal investigation into sexual assault allegations. It’s not just the campaign for governor that is in jeopardy; there is a very real, growing push for him to resign from Congress entirely.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who has spent years working on survivor advocacy, didn’t mince words on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this past Sunday. She was clear: Swalwell needs to go. Actually, she thinks both he and Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzalez—who is facing his own ethics probe involving an aide—should step down. “I do think that both of them need to step down from Congress,” she said. It’s a messy situation, really. The smell of stale coffee and burnt news wires is lingering in the office today, or maybe that’s just my imagination playing tricks after staring at these statements for too long.
Then there’s the California contingent. You’d expect his home state colleagues to stay quiet, but they’ve largely turned on him. Rep. Ro Khanna made his stance known on X after a Fox News appearance, calling for accountability from both Ethics and law enforcement. He thinks Swalwell should resign, and he’s far from alone. Rep. James Wilkinshaw pretty much summed it up on “Alex Witt Reports,” saying the gubernatorial campaign is functionally over, even if the congressman hasn’t accepted that reality yet.
Swalwell, who had been leading the pack to replace Gavin Newsom, keeps saying he’s innocent. He’s denying everything, vehemently.
Meanwhile, the legislative gears are grinding. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is planning an expulsion resolution for this week, signaling a bipartisan pile-on that feels almost inevitable at this point. Even Rep. Byron Donalds confirmed he’d vote to expel both Swalwell and Gonzalez if it comes to the floor. It’s a strange moment where the usual partisan walls are barely holding up, though Gov. Newsom is staying quiet for the moment. Well, he called the allegations “deeply troubling” on Friday, but hasn’t touched the resignation question.
Staffers are jumping ship, or at least distancing themselves in ways that are hard to miss. A joint letter from his own team said they were “horrified” by the reports. It’s a weird spot to be in—working for someone while publicly stating that staying on payroll isn’t an endorsement. They believe the victims, they said. The accusations from a former aide, first reported by Misryoum, describe incidents where she was intoxicated. It’s a lot to process. The investigation by the Manhattan DA’s office is just getting started, so who knows where this goes next—or if the political pressure will force a conclusion before the legal system even gets a chance to weigh in properly.