The post Eric Swalwell Says ‘I Plan to Resign’ from Congress After Stream of Sexual Assault Accusations appeared first on Breitbart.
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Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) announced his intention to resign from his seat in the U.S. House on Monday following a wave of sexual assault accusations that upended his bid for California governor.
The soon-to-be former congressman announced his intention to resign in a statement on Monday.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” Swalwell said.
Swalwell further denounced efforts to expel him from Congress “without due process,” adding that he will work with his staff over the next few days to manage a transition.
“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 continued.
“Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress. I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district,” he concluded.
Both CNN and the Chronicle reported that a former staffer accused Swalwell of sexual assault, saying the two had sexual relations after a night of drinking, but that she did not have the mental capacity to consent. Three other women told CNN that Swalwell would send unprompted nude photos and graphic messages.
Swalwell’s resignation came after mounting pressure from Democrats and former staffers calling for his ouster.
“The allegations reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN are serious, credible, and demand accountability,” more than 50 of Swalwell’s former staffers expressed in a signed open letter. “We stand unequivocally with our colleague, who showed extraordinary courage in coming forward to share her truth. We believe her.”
The resignation also came hours after the U.S. House Ethics Committee opened an investigation on Swalwell.
“The House Ethics Committee said Monday it’s investigating Rep. Eric Swalwell, who is facing allegations of sexual assault and misconduct,” Politico reported.
“The Ethics panel said in a statement that the investigation into the California Democrat relates to ‘allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision,’” it added.
