A fellow California congressman who called on Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) to drop his bid for governor of the Golden State has become the first Democrat lawmaker to call for his resignation from Congress.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) on Saturday became the first House Democrat to call on Swalwell to resign from the House of Representatives after the northern California lawmaker was accused of rape and other sexual misconduct with former staffers.
“I’ve seen enough. With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate,” Huffman wrote on X. “He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress.”
A former staffer accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent, in an account first reported Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Another report, this one from CNN, featured three other women who accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including sharing unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos.
Swalwell pounced on the allegations Friday, denying them and apologizing to his wife because she had to hear them.
“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false,” the California Democrat said in a video he posted on social media. “They did not happen. They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have. They also come on the eve of an election where I have been the frontrunner candidate for governor in California.”
Following the allegations, House Democrat leadership called on Swalwell to end his campaign for governor but did not ask him to resign.
The Hill quoted the letter from the Democrat lawmakers:
“Following the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, we call for a swift investigation into these incidents and for the Congressman to immediately end his campaign to be California’s next Governor,” wrote House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.).
“This is unacceptable of anyone — certainly not an elected official — and must be taken seriously,” they continued. “We commend the courageous women for sharing their experiences. In this and all circumstances, we must ensure that those who come forward with allegations of sexual assault and harassment are heard and respected…All perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment must be held accountable.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) wrote on X on Saturday that she is filing a motion to expel Swalwell from Congress.
Swalwell’s troubles only deepened as the weekend continued.
On Saturday, the California Post published a bombshell report that Swalwell has also been accused of violating employment and immigration laws to keep a live-in Brazilian nanny, including paying for her services with campaign funds.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.
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