House Ethics Committee Investigates Rep. Eric Swalwell Over Misconduct Allegations

The bipartisan House Ethics Committee announced Monday it has opened an investigation into Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations. The committee stated it will review whether Swalwell violated the Code of Official Conduct or any laws, rules, or regulations related to allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including toward an employee under his supervision.

The probe follows accusations from a former Swalwell staffer who alleged in a San Francisco Chronicle article and a CNN interview that she was sexually assaulted twice by Swalwell while too intoxicated to consent. NBC News has not independently verified these claims. Additionally, three other women spoke to CNN alleging Swalwell engaged in sexual misconduct.

Swalwell, 45, who has served in the House since 2013, denied the allegations in a video released Friday, calling them “flat false” and stating, “they did not happen, they have never happened.” He acknowledged making “mistakes in judgment” in the past but said those were personal matters. On Sunday night, Swalwell ended his campaign for California governor, saying he would fight the “serious, false allegations” but that it was a personal battle, not one for his campaign.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office also announced Saturday it had opened an investigation into one of the sexual assault allegations against Swalwell.

Pressure is mounting for Swalwell to resign from Congress. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, announced plans to bring a motion to the House floor to expel Swalwell, requiring a two-thirds majority vote. Luna told CBS News she intends to proceed with the expulsion resolution regardless of the Ethics Committee’s investigation and hopes for a vote as soon as Wednesday. Several Democrats have expressed support for the expulsion effort.

The Ethics Committee conducts investigations confidentially and is not known for rapid action, which some lawmakers fear could delay any immediate expulsion vote. More than a dozen House Democrats from battleground districts sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urging swift and bipartisan action to expedite Ethics Committee investigations and bring findings to the floor for a vote.

The controversy surrounding Swalwell has also sparked broader discussions about expelling other members of Congress facing misconduct allegations, including Reps. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Florida. Historically, only six members have been expelled from the House, with the most recent being Rep. George Santos, R-New York, in December 2023.