A Democratic representative from California has resigned his seat in Congress over multiple sexual misconduct allegations.
Published on 14 April 2026
Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell has resigned from the United States Congress amid growing allegations of sexual misconduct.
On Tuesday, a fifth woman came forward to accuse Swalwell of unwanted sexual contact, saying the Democratic lawmaker drugged and raped her during an encounter in 2018.
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“My delay in taking action against Eric was driven not by suspicion but by fear – fear of his political power,” Lona Drews said during a press conference in Los Angeles.
Drews’ attorney Lisa Bloom said her company would file a police report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
Swalwell has denied allegations of wrongdoing. But on Monday, a day after suspending his gubernatorial campaign, he announced he would resign from Congress.
Polls have shown the 45-year-old is the frontrunner to replace Gavin Newsom as California governor.
But his campaign failed last week after reports in the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailed allegations of sexual misconduct by multiple women.
A woman identified as a former employee told CNN that Swalwell raped her in a New York City hotel in 2024, leaving her bleeding and bruised.
Three other women told US news outlets that they had received inappropriate messages from Swalwell on the app Snapchat, which automatically deletes interactions.
The allegations led to an immediate backlash from Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign. Supporters withdrew their support, and a handful of bipartisan lawmakers said they would force a vote to expel Swalwell from Congress.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office also announced Saturday that it is investigating allegations of sexual assault.
In a statement Monday, Swalwell apologized to his family, staff and constituents for his “errors in judgment.”
Although he confirmed that he would resign his seat in Congress, he criticized his colleagues for demanding his removal.
“I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me,” Swalwell wrote.
“I am aware of efforts to bring about an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. It is wrong to expel anyone without due process in Congress within days of being charged.”
Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna had said she would withdraw her motion to expel Swalwell after he leaves office and confirmed Tuesday that she had submitted a letter of resignation “effective immediately.”
Republican Representative Tony Gonzales also announced Monday he will retire from Congress amid calls for his removal over sexual misconduct allegations.
