Democratic congressman dropped out of California governor’s race after reports of sexual misconduct
The House ethics committee on Monday announced it had opened an investigation into the Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell, a day after he dropped out of the California governor’s race amid reports of sexual assault and misconduct.
The bipartisan committee said in a statement that it would scrutinize “allegations that [Swalwell] may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision”.
Swalwell, who polls showed was leading the race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom, suspended his campaign Sunday after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that a female former staffer said the congressman sexually assaulted her twice. CNN published a similar account hours later, as well as allegations from three other women of Swalwell sending them unwanted explicit photos or messages.
In a statement ending his campaign, Swalwell, a seven-term congressman, said he would “fight the serious, false allegations that have been made – but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s”.
