Swalwell, Gonzales exits shift spotlight to other embattled lawmakers

The dual announcements from Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) on Monday that they plan to exit Congress have shifted the spotlight to two other members embroiled in ethical controversies on Capitol Hill: Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.).

For the last three days, since the blistering allegations of sexual assault against Swalwell surfaced, there was a rolling wave of resignation calls for both him and Gonzales, who is enmeshed in his own sexual misconduct scandal. Members of both parties were crafting resolutions of expulsion targeting both lawmakers that were expected to hit the floor this week. The others were an afterthought.

But in stunning back-to-back announcements, Swalwell and Gonzales quickly defused the brewing expulsion campaign by taking matters into their own hands and announcing their exits from Congress.

Swalwell, at 5:25 p.m., said he is innocent of the most serious accusations against him, but wants to fight them privately to spare his family and constituents the indignity of enduring the scandal. 

“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” he wrote on X, announcing his resignation. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”

Gonzales has been in a similar predicament for many months longer. He has acknowledged an extramarital affair with a staffer who later died by........

© The Hill