Washington — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales officially submitted their resignation letters to the House clerk on Tuesday, avoiding expected votes to expel them from Congress over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Swalwell has been accused of sexual assault in recent days, allegations that prompted him to end his campaign for governor of California. Gonzales admitted in March to an affair with a subordinate who later died by suicide. He said he would not run for reelection but had declined to resign until the Swalwell allegations brought new attention to misconduct in Congress.
Their colleagues were prepared to move forward with the motions to expel them if their departures were not imminent. Neither Swalwell nor Gonzales gave a timeframe for their departures when they announced their resignations about an hour apart on Monday evening.
Their letters were read on the House floor when the lower chamber reconvened to debate several bills shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday.
In his letter, Swalwell said he was “deeply sorry” to his family, staff and constituents “for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.”
Swalwell vowed to fight the “serious, false allegations” against him, but added that “I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process within days of an allegation being made is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,” he said.
Swalwell said his resignation was effective as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Gonzales’ notice was much shorter, saying his resignation was effective at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
“It has been my privilege to serve the residents of Texas’s 23rd congressional district,” his letter concluded.