Rep. Eric Swalwell to resign from Congress amid sexual misconduct allegations

[0:03] We have breaking news at this hour. Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell of California has [0:08] just announced his resignation from Congress following allegations of sexual assault [0:12] and misconduct. Let's get straight to ABC's Jay O'Brien on Capitol Hill with the latest. [0:18] Jay, I know this news is just coming out, but what more do we know? [0:22] Stephanie, just breaking moments ago in a dramatic turn of events here. Congressman Eric Swalwell [0:27] suspended his campaign for governor yesterday, but now he is resigning from Congress after a [0:32] steady drumbeat of pressure from some of his fellow Democrats who had called on him to either [0:37] resign or face an expulsion vote. And there was a brewing expulsion attempt here on Capitol Hill, [0:42] a vote likely to be forced as early as this week for Swalwell to be expelled and potentially some [0:47] other members of Congress as well. Democrats and Republicans who have various issues in front of [0:52] the ethics committee, Swalwell had faced accusations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct, including [0:57] from former staffers of his. And I want to read to you a little bit of a statement that just came [1:01] out moments ago. He says, quote, I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes [1:07] in judgment I have made in my past. I will fight, he goes on to say, the serious false allegations [1:13] made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make. [1:18] He said he's aware of ongoing efforts to potentially expel him from Congress here on Capitol Hill. [1:24] He goes on to say, in his view, it's, quote, wrong to expel a member without what Swalwell says [1:28] is due process. Only today did the House Ethics Committee say it would conduct an investigation [1:33] into these accusations against Eric Swalwell. He goes on to say, quote, I will work with my staff [1:39] in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of [1:43] the 14th Congressional District. But he did say that he felt that this ongoing scandal had distracted [1:49] from his duties up here on Capitol Hill. So Eric Swalwell resigning from his office. That seat will be [1:54] empty. There will, of course, ultimately be a special election to fill that seat in California [1:59] that the governor of California will call. But a stunning turn of events here, Stephanie, [2:02] a breakneck pace of which this story has developed now again, resulting in Eric Swalwell resigning [2:08] from Congress. And, Jay, as you know, Swalwell had been a fixture on the Hill for a really long time. [2:13] But you also know that his own Democratic colleagues there on the Hill were calling for him to resign. [2:19] What are some of the things that they had been saying the last couple of days? [2:22] And notable here, Stephanie, because Eric Swalwell was considered for a time a rising star [2:27] in the Democratic Party. He was on the coveted position of the House Intelligence Committee [2:32] up here on Capitol Hill for a time until Republicans stripped him of that. Remember, [2:35] he had an ill-fated presidential campaign at one point. And he was the leading candidate [2:40] in this Democratic race for the Democratic nomination in the California gubernatorial race until [2:46] these accusations surface. And then ultimately, of course, he stepped out of that race and has [2:51] now resigned from Congress. And it's notable, Stephanie, that these Democratic lawmakers came [2:55] out in the last few days and said that they believe that Eric Swalwell had no place in the United States [3:01] House of Representatives. Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries, for instance, the top Democrat in the [3:06] House, or Nancy Pelosi, the former Democratic Speaker, did come out in the last few days and say, [3:11] in their view, Eric Swalwell should have suspended his gubernatorial campaign. They said that before he did. [3:16] But they didn't go so far as to say that he should be booted from the House of Representatives or face [3:22] an expulsion vote that has a really high threshold to clear. You need two-thirds of the House of [3:26] Representatives to vote to expel anyone. So that's a hearty chunk of both Democrats and Republicans in [3:32] that chamber. But Eric Swalwell tonight saying that he believes all of this has become a distraction, [3:37] in his words, to his work. And so he believes it's the proper thing to do to resign. Stephanie. [3:41] Jay, would you say that this now punctuates challenges for Democrats in the state of California [3:46] with the primary just around the corner? [3:50] It's unclear because that primary is still very much an open race. Eric Swalwell will be on the [3:55] ballot. The deadline for him to be removed from the ballot has since passed. But there are other [4:00] Democrats in that race, like, for instance, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, who is seen as someone [4:05] who could potentially take up that frontrunner mantle now that Eric Swalwell has stepped aside. But all of [4:11] that to say, the titanic change in that race has been clear, right? Eric Swalwell, the frontrunner, [4:17] has stepped aside. He's cleared the field for those other Democrats. And if you win the Democratic [4:21] nomination in California, you have a fairly good, if not locked-in chance, of course, to become the [4:26] next governor of that state. But the circumstances here on Capitol Hill were different. Eric Swalwell was [4:31] facing growing calls from Democrats to resign. He was also facing a brewing expulsion vote. But he could [4:38] have held on. He could have fought that process out. Think back to George Santos, who faced an [4:42] expulsion vote. And there were multiple attempts to boot George Santos out of the House of [4:47] Representatives until ultimately one was successful. Eric Swalwell could have held on here. But again, [4:52] he's choosing tonight to step aside, Stephanie. [4:54] Jay O'Brien-Force there on Capitol Hill on this breaking news. Jay, thank you very much. [4:59] Jay O'Brien-Force.