Eric Swalwell Quits Congress After Five Women Accuse Him of Sexual Assault
California Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress on Tuesday. Five women have accused him of rape or sexual misconduct. He also gave up his run for governor of California. The accusations came out over just one week.
Who Is Eric Swalwell?
Swalwell, 45, was a Democrat who represented the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. He was first elected in 2012 and served for 13 years. He ran briefly for president in 2020. Until last week, he was one of the top candidates running for governor of California in 2026.
What Did the Women Say?
The first story came out Friday, April 10, in the San Francisco Chronicle. A former staffer said Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice. She said the first time was in 2019, when she was 21 years old and worked in his office. She woke up naked in a hotel room with him after a night of heavy drinking. The second time was in 2024, after she had left her job. She told CNN: “I was pushing him off of me, saying no. He didn’t stop.”
CNN also spoke to three more women. They said Swalwell sent them unwanted nude photos and explicit messages.
On Tuesday, a fifth woman came forward. Lonna Drewes held a press conference in Beverly Hills. She said Swalwell drugged, raped, and choked her in a hotel room in 2018. “When I arrived at his hotel room I was already incapacitated. I couldn’t move my arms or my body,” she said. “He raped me. And he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died.”
Drewes said she only had one glass of wine and believes her drink was spiked. Her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, filed a police report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. The evidence includes text messages, journal entries, and statements from people Drewes told about the incident at the time.
What Did Swalwell Say?
Swalwell denied the assault allegations. He called them “serious, false allegations” and said he would keep fighting them. He did admit to unspecified “mistakes in judgment” in his personal life and apologized to his family. His legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to at least one of his accusers.
Why Did He Resign?
Pressure came from every direction. More than 50 of his former staff members signed a letter calling on him to quit. “No one is above the law,” they wrote. “Not a congressman. Not a candidate for governor. No one.”
Former allies turned on him quickly. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, once a close friend, publicly called for his expulsion. California Sen. Adam Schiff, who had endorsed Swalwell for governor, pulled that endorsement. Billionaire donor Stephen Cloobeck announced he was cutting all ties.
Members of Congress also threatened to expel him by vote. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) said she would bring an expulsion vote to the House floor as soon as Congress returned from recess Tuesday. Rather than face that vote, Swalwell announced he would resign. “It’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,” he wrote on social media. “Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
Criminal Investigations Are Now Open
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office opened a criminal investigation on Saturday. It is focused on the former staffer’s claim that Swalwell assaulted her in a New York City hotel in 2024. That investigation will continue even though Swalwell has resigned from Congress.
The House Ethics Committee had also opened a probe. But under House rules, the committee can only investigate sitting members. With Swalwell now resigned, that investigation is likely closed.
Another Congressman Resigned the Same Day
Just 65 minutes after Swalwell announced his plans, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said he was resigning too. Gonzales had admitted to an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. A second staffer said he sent her repeated sexually explicit messages. Gonzales also faced a House Ethics investigation and a possible expulsion vote. Both men officially left office Tuesday.
With both gone, Republicans hold a 216-213 majority in the House.
What Happens Next?
California Gov. Gavin Newsom must call a special election to fill Swalwell’s seat within 14 days of declaring a vacancy. Swalwell had won his district by more than 30 percentage points in 2024.
The Manhattan DA’s criminal investigation is the most serious legal threat Swalwell now faces. Los Angeles County law enforcement will also review the evidence filed by Lonna Drewes. No criminal charges have been filed as of Tuesday.
The Swalwell case is one of the fastest political collapses in modern congressional history — from frontrunner for governor to resigned member under criminal investigation in less than seven days.
