Rep. Eric Swalwell, a former Democratic frontrunner in the California gubernatorial race, resigned from Congress on Monday amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Swalwell announced his resignation in a statement posted to his X account, while still denying some of the allegations made against him in recent days.
“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 in the statement.
Swalwell, 45, came to Congress in 2013 and had been a top contender in the California governor’s race. He briefly ran for president in 2019. But the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday that a former congressional aide to Swalwell alleged a series of sexual encounters while he was her boss. The woman alleged Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two occasions when she was too intoxicated to give consent.
CNN also reported on Friday that three other women alleged “various kinds of sexual misconduct” by Swalwell, including unsolicited explicit messages and nude photos.
