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Representatives Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales announced plans Monday to leave Congress as both lawmakers faced potential expulsion votes tied to allegations of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell, a Democrat, said he would resign amid intensifying scrutiny, while Gonzales, a Republican, said he would file for retirement from office when Congress returns.
“I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me,” Swalwell said in a statement, while acknowledging past “mistakes in judgment.” He added that stepping down was necessary because it would be wrong “for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties.”
Gonzales, in a separate statement, said, “There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all,” confirming he would formally begin the process to leave office Tuesday.
Swalwell’s decision follows allegations by a former staffer accusing him of sexual assault, which he has denied. Additional women have alleged misconduct in media interviews, intensifying political pressure.
Gonzales, meanwhile, has acknowledged an affair with a former staff member — a violation of House rules — and is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The staffer later died after setting herself on fire, a case that has drawn widespread attention.
Both lawmakers had already faced mounting calls from colleagues to step aside, with bipartisan efforts underway to force votes on their expulsion.
The House has the constitutional authority to expel members with a two-thirds vote, a rare and serious step typically reserved for severe misconduct.
Lawmakers, led by Teresa Leger Fernández and Anna Paulina Luna, had planned to introduce resolutions to expel both men as early as Tuesday, potentially triggering votes within days.
Swalwell, in his statement, criticized the speed of the process, arguing that expelling a member “without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong.”
The Ethics Committee confirmed Monday it had launched an investigation into Swalwell, a process that can take months but may be expedited under political pressure.
A group of House Democrats called on Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries to accelerate the Ethics Committee’s investigations into both lawmakers.
Kristen McDonald Rivet said the alleged conduct was “disgusting and so obviously unacceptable,” adding that members of Congress should be held to a higher standard.
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who had pushed for their removal, said she took no satisfaction in the developments but expressed concern for those affected by the allegations.
Anna Paulina Luna said on social media that “we have successfully drained part of the swamp this week,” reflecting frustration among some lawmakers over ethics controversies in Congress.
The simultaneous departures of one Democrat and one Republican mean the narrow partisan balance in the House is expected to remain unchanged if both exit around the same time.
The developments come amid a broader wave of ethics investigations involving multiple lawmakers. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Cory Mills are also under scrutiny for separate alleged violations, which both have denied.
Cherfilus-McCormick was recently found by the Ethics Committee to have violated House rules related to campaign spending, with further disciplinary action pending.
Once Swalwell formally leaves office, Gavin Newsom will have 14 days to call a special election to fill the vacant seat. In Texas, Greg Abbott will oversee the process to replace Gonzales.
The Ethics Committee is expected to meet April 21 to consider potential disciplinary action in related cases, underscoring ongoing scrutiny of congressional conduct.
Meanwhile, both Swalwell and Gonzales face continued legal, political and public fallout as their departures mark a rare bipartisan exit under the shadow of potential expulsion.
