Two members of the US House of Representatives resigned on Monday as the chamber faces a wave of potential expulsions following a series of personal scandals.
Democrat Eric Swalments of California announced his resignation via X on Monday. His departure follows allegations of sexual assault and misconduct from multiple women, including a former staff member.
Swalwell, who had already halted his campaign for governor of California, described the allegations as "false" but admitted to "mistakes in judgment."
Hours later, Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas announced he would retire from office. Gonzales faced intense pressure from GOP leadership after admitting to an affair with a former aide, a woman who later died by self-immolation.
Potential for mass expulsion
Two other lawmakers, Florida Democrats Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Republicans Cory Mills, now face possible expulsion proceedings. Lawmakers from both parties are pushing for disciplinary action against the pair.
Representative Nydia Velazquez, a Democrat from New York, called for all four embattled lawmakers to step down. "Congress should not tolerate representatives who abuse staff, betray public trust for personal gain, and generally violate their oath of office," Velazquez posted on X.
Expelling a member requires a two-thirds majority in the House. This high threshold has limited the chamber to only six expulsions in its 237-year history.
Republican Anna Paulina Luna prepared to introduce a resolution Tuesday to formally expel Swalwell. Support for ousting the Florida representatives is expected to begin as early as this week.
