The US House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against California Congressman Eric Swalwell. The committee planned to investigate whether Swalwell violated official conduct rules regarding sexual harassment allegations during his duties. However, Swalwell announced on the day the investigation began that he would resign from Congress. Due to his resignation, the Ethics Committee's investigation ended, as the committee's authority is limited to current members.
A former employee of Swalwell accused him of sexual assault. These allegations include Swalwell sexually assaulting the woman twice while she was intoxicated. NBC News has not independently verified these claims. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is also conducting a separate investigation related to these allegations. Swalwell categorically denied the allegations and said in a video, "These allegations are completely baseless."
Some lawmakers have called for Swalwell to resign or be expelled from Congress. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego stated that Swalwell is no longer fit to be a member of Congress. Additionally, it was reported that other members of Congress are also under scrutiny due to ethical and conduct issues. Following his resignation, Swalwell was invited to cooperate with the FBI.
These developments have reignited discussions about the enforcement of ethical rules in Congress and the accountability of its members.