WASHINGTON – Eric Swalwell, a Democratic US Representative from California, announced Sunday that he is suspending his campaign for Governor of California following a series of sexual assault and misconduct allegations.
The decision follows reporting from CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle, which detailed alleged accounts of sexual assault by a former staffer and misconduct allegations from several other women.
The collapse of the campaign comes despite a March poll from Emerson College that indicated Swalwell was leading both Democratic and Republican challengers by several points in the race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell said in a social media statement on Sunday. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made – but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
Investigation and Congressional Action
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed on Saturday that it is currently investigating the allegations. The office has not filed charges, and prosecutors emphasized that the inquiry remains in its early stages, with investigators still interviewing witnesses and reviewing available evidence.
In Washington, the fallout has extended beyond the gubernatorial race to the Congressman’s seat in the US House of Representatives, where Swalwell has served since 2013 and sits on key committees involved in national security and oversight. Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna stated she will submit a motion to begin the formal process of expelling Swalwell from Congress.
Expulsion is the most severe disciplinary action the House can take against a member, requiring a two-thirds majority vote under Article I, Section 5 of the US Constitution for the chamber to remove a representative from office. The move would also trigger complex political calculations for party leaders as they seek to balance due process protections with public pressure to hold elected officials accountable.
Some Democratic colleagues indicated they may support the move. Representative Pramila Jayapal described the situation as a non-partisan matter.
“This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said on Sunday. “This cuts across party lines. And it is the depravity of the way that women have been treated.”
The House Ethics Committee, which routinely reviews alleged misconduct by lawmakers, is expected to face calls to open a parallel inquiry that could run alongside any criminal investigation and inform potential disciplinary action, ranging from censure to expulsion, under the chamber’s own rules.
Bipartisan Calls for Resignation
The allegations led to a rapid withdrawal of support from powerful figures and organizations, many of whom revoked their endorsements over the weekend and suspended fundraising efforts for the gubernatorial bid. Several California-based advocacy groups that had previously backed Swalwell’s emphasis on gun control and democratic reform said they would reassess any future support pending the outcome of the investigations.
Congressman Ro Khanna called for immediate investigations by both law enforcement and the US House of Representatives.
“What he did is sick and disgusting,” Khanna told Fox News Sunday, adding that Congress must demonstrate it can police its own members when serious misconduct allegations emerge.
The pressure for resignation is part of a broader trend of misconduct allegations facing members of Congress. In recent years, multiple lawmakers from both parties have resigned, retired early, or faced discipline amid scrutiny of their behavior toward staff and colleagues, prompting renewed debate over workplace standards and reporting mechanisms on Capitol Hill.
Democrats have similarly called for the expulsion of Representative Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, who is also facing sexual misconduct allegations. Republican Representative Byron Donalds stated he could support the ejection of both lawmakers.
“As far as I’m concerned, both gentlemen need to go home,” Donalds said, framing the issue as a test of whether Congress can apply the same standards regardless of party.
The overlapping cases have intensified discussion among ethics advocates and legal scholars over whether Congress should adopt clearer, more enforceable conduct rules and stronger protections for complainants. Some lawmakers are now urging leadership to revisit internal procedures and training requirements in light of the latest claims, arguing that high-profile scandals risk further eroding public trust in national institutions.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office continues its investigation into the claims, while House leaders weigh how aggressively to use their own disciplinary tools if the allegations against Swalwell are substantiated.
