Rep. Eric Swalwell announced Monday that he is resigning from Congress after multiple allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct prompted an investigation and growing political pressure.
Those allegations, which have not resulted in any publicly announced criminal charges, led the Manhattan district attorney’s office to open an inquiry, according to reporting by major outlets. In recent days, lawmakers from both parties and other political leaders publicly urged Swalwell to step down and to end his campaign for governor of California.
A Democrat who has represented a California district since his first election in 2012, Swalwell developed a national profile through committee work in Congress, a 2019–2020 presidential bid and his later run for governor. That gubernatorial campaign became the immediate focus of calls for him to withdraw after the allegations surfaced.
Public reporting has offered limited detail about the claims. Prosecutors and investigators generally decline to comment on active inquiries, and Swalwell has previously denied criminal wrongdoing in responses to earlier reporting about unrelated controversies. In his resignation announcement he did not lay out full details of the allegations or the status of the investigation, and he gave few specifics about his future plans.
Swalwell’s resignation triggers the process to fill his House seat. State and federal rules require a special election to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives; California officials will set the timetable. Political operatives in both parties are already examining how an open seat could affect party control in Congress and change local politics in the district.
Reactions were swift and divided. Democrats said the moment requires accountability while underscoring the importance of due process. Republicans portrayed the resignation as confirmation of their demands for ethics and transparency. Advocates for victims’ rights said the departure underscores the need for institutions to take allegations seriously and to support survivors.
The move represents a rapid reversal for a member of Congress who once held a prominent role in his party. The Manhattan inquiry and any subsequent actions by state or federal prosecutors will determine whether criminal charges are pursued. Separately, congressional and state legislative ethics bodies may review the matter and consider whether further congressional discipline is warranted.
As state officials set a special-election timeline and investigators continue their work, Swalwell’s resignation closes one chapter of a contentious episode that has reverberated through Washington and California politics.