Both politicians shared news of their resignations on social media on Monday, April 13
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NEED TO KNOW
- Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales are resigning from Congress amid sexual misconduct accusations
- Swalwell, a Democrat who represented the state of California, has been publicly accused of misconduct by at least four women, which he has vehemently denied
- Gonzales had previously decided not to run for reelection amid criticism over his relationship with former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in 2025
Politicians Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales are giving up their seats in Congress amid sexual misconduct accusations.
On Monday, April 13, the California gubernatorial frontrunner Eric Swalwell and the Texas Republican, both 45, announced via social media that they would step down from their positions following high-profile scandals.
"I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I've made in my past,” Swalwell said in a statement shared to his X account after a former staffer and three other women recently accused him of sexual assault.
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“I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” he continued.
Swalwell added that he was “aware” that there have been attempts to have “an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members,” but that doing so “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. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress,” his statement read.
The politician concluded by stating that he will continue working with his 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."
Roughly an hour later, Gonzales also shared a statement on social media, announcing his retirement.
“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all,” Gonzales wrote. “When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”
Swalwell’s resignation came just one day after he announced via X on Sunday, April 12, that he was suspending his campaign.
That same day, one of Swalwell's accusers, content creator Ally Sammarco, also shared a statement to social media.
“This has not been easy for me or the other women,” she began, adding in part: “I have so much respect for them for telling their stories. I shared mine publicly because I have a platform and resources that others may not-and I wanted to help validate their experiences.”
Sammarco previously alleged she met Swalwell through Twitter after she sent him a message about politics, she told CNN on Friday, April 10.
She claimed that he offered to share her resume with other congressional offices, but reportedly alleged that in September 2021, Swalwell began sending her selfies of himself in bed or shirtless, and unsolicited pictures of his penis through Snapchat.
One of Swalwell’s former staffers, who has remained anonymous, claimed to have had a sexual relationship with the husband and father of three while working for him for two years, per The San Francisco Chronicle.
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She told the outlet that in September 2019, Swalwell invited her out for drinks, and after becoming intoxicated, she didn’t remember how she found herself naked in his hotel bed, and that he also allegedly assaulted her in 2024 after she no longer worked for him.
PEOPLE has reached out to attorneys for the former staffer and Swalwell.
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Prior to his resignation announcement on Monday, Gonzales decided not to run for reelection amid criticism over his relationship with former staffer Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in 2025.
The husband and father of six allegedly asked Santos-Aviles for nude photos multiple times during a 2020 GOP primary runoff, per explicit texts reported by the San Antonio Express-News, which were not independently verified by PEOPLE.
PEOPLE reached out to Gonzales' office, but did not immediately hear back.
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