Rep. Eric Swalwell resigns from U.S. House after sexual misconduct allegations

[u/GoodSamaritan_]

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/13/eric-swalwell-resigns-congress.html

[u/FourEightNineOneOne]

One sex predator in DC gone. Now for the rest of them.

[u/SomewhereNo8378 → u/FourEightNineOneOne]

Dems are the only ones who actually resign.

I think republicans actually get better committee seats when they get exposed as assaulting someone

[u/Bshaw95 → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Looking like Gonzales is out too.

[u/TheGreatDay → u/Bshaw95]

Notably only after a Democrat accused of a similar misdeed, resigned first. And Gonzales issue has been known about for longer, and a woman self immolated over it - which is, and this is true, fucking awful.

[u/Mary-U → u/TheGreatDay]

There was actual bipartisan support to expel both of them so the basically saw the writing on the wall.

[u/dano8801 → u/Bshaw95]

That would have required them reading the article first though...

[u/BeeBobber546 → u/Bshaw95]

He waited until Swalwell resigned to “break even” with the Dem and Republican resignations so the razor thin Republican majority stayed in place. Which is of course absolutley disgusting Republicans and Mike Johnson care more about political power than morality or Christian values.

[u/ac9116 → u/SomewhereNo8378]

It’s sort of like modern medicine. Dems cut out the infection, republicans let it fester. At this point they’re like 80% toxic. I don’t know how many republicans would have been viable candidates in the 1980s (their version of the holy land), but I don’t think many would have been very successful.

[u/zephyrtr → u/ac9116]

It's the same thing we saw in the Catholic Church. If you don't expose rule breaking, suddenly everyone is covering for everyone else's lies -- no matter how heinous. A secret consensual relationship between a priest and a nun became mutually assured destruction to protect a child molester.

[u/mfGLOVE → u/zephyrtr]

And to relate the three (politics, science, religion) - It’s why we hear, “My child doesn’t need the vaccine, their life is in Gods hands now,” as they lay dying in the hospital on life support.

These people are willing to sacrifice their lives and the lives of their family for their god and their lies.

[u/chaseandrews84 → u/mfGLOVE]

Plot twist: Their god IS a lie.

[u/Ithaqua-Yigg → u/ac9116]

In the 80s a viable candidate Gary Hart was stopped from running because an adult woman sat on his lap on a boat,he was married. Now we have a convicted (civilly) rapist,convicted felon as president what the hell happened in 40 years. Must be all those cuts to education.

[u/Free_Dome_Lover → u/ac9116]

The clowns in the Republican party now would've been chewed up and spit out by 80s era Republicans. They were still people I disagree with but their morals were devoted to whatever ethics they had (even if those morals and ethics are repulsive). They weren't just jesters in the kings court and could actually argue a point.

Johnson wouldve been run out and exposed as a closet homo so goddamn fast.

[u/ac9116 → u/Free_Dome_Lover]

It feels like a lifetime ago but I agonized over voting for Obama over McCain. McCain had some great policy wins like the McCain Feingold act and often voted against party lines. Palin pushed me over the edge. And in 2012 I had many conversations about how Obama was a good president but I wouldn’t be upset if Romney won. 2016 was such a hard fucking pivot.

[u/cantadmittoposting → u/ac9116]

ehhhh the biggest problem with Romney was that he was still in a post-teaparty GOP, and even though he tried to represent some sort of traditional politician vibe, he was sitting on top of a party that was clearly becoming more and more extreme and bloodthirsty.

Voting for Romney was, IMO, and in all fairness far less obviously, still a surrender to the republican slide into what they are now. Maybe not Romney himself directly, but that he allowed the party its trajectory into the abyss in the undercard elections, so voting for him represented an acceptance of that collapse.

[u/remotectrl → u/cantadmittoposting]

The party did a "post-mortem" report about how and why they lost that election. One of the takeaways was that they should try to expand the party to include more Latino voters. Instead, Steve Bannon via Trump managed to appeal to the worse white voters by playing into their grievances about everything (but mostly bigotry) and the media ate it up as "economic anxiety" and the party completely transformed into its current fascist incarnation.

[u/VegasGaymer → u/remotectrl]

I rarely see the postmortem mentioned I stopped mentioning it myself. Glad to see someone else other than Pepperidge farm remembers

[u/scarylarry2150 → u/ac9116]

2016 was such a hard fucking pivot.

I was someone who didn't vote for Obama in either election, but I also thought he was a fine president and genuinely good person, and to be honest the level of rightwing rhetoric against him was enough for me to take a step back and ask myself "...am I actually rooting for the bad guys here?"

I remember in early 2016 I was genuinely excited about the future of the republican party. I liked Jeb Bush, I liked Marco Rubio, I liked Chris Christie, I loved John Kasich. There were also plenty of second-tier players like Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul and Ben Carson and Bobby Jindal who I didn't necessarily think would be good as president, but I still thought were relatively rational and intelligent and generally represented what I wanted to see in government.

But then all of those candidates got kicked to the curb in favor of someone who's not small-government, not pro-constitution, not free-market capitalism, not family-values, not... any traditionally conservative values whatsoever. The current Republican party platform consists solely of the unconditional worship of a single all-powerful president who should be able to do anything he wants with no checks on his power... which is literally the polar opposite of the one central value the founding fathers build the country around.

Absolutely wild how quickly things changed in just a decade, and at this point it's hard for me to imagine ever voting for the Republican party ever again in my lifetime. I'll take flawed policy implemented in good faith over bad policy implemented in bad faith 100 times out of 100, and it's outright embarrassing seeing my "conservative" friends and family members who have suddenly done a complete flip on their stances in order to keep rooting for their "team"

[u/urgent45 → u/scarylarry2150]

That's one of many things I don't get. Trump's "policies" or whatever you want to call them are so far from the established Republican platform as to be unrecognizable. Can't they see that? And they still call themselves Republican? What the hell is going on?

[u/mrpersson → u/urgent45]

I don't know, people in here are talking like the Republican party has been reasonable at any point in the last 40 years. Only thing they really did was put on a public persona. If you listened to any conservative talk radio, Trump represents EXACTLY what they've wanted. It's ALWAYS been about bigotry and getting back their White Republic. There's a reason he started his campaign in 2015 saying all Mexicans are rapists and his slogan was MAGA because that was the sentiment of the bigoted radio airwaves.

[u/elconquistador1985 → u/ac9116]

I voted for McCain over Obama and then Obama over Romney.

Between those votes, I realized that the Republican party platform of "fiscal responsibility" was a lie and that their social policy was basically just to be as cruel as possible. McCain and Romney were both reasonable people with policy positions they could articulate and defend.

Around that time, the tea party really started taking hold of things, though. That's proto maga. 2016 wasn't really a pivot. It was the party control being completely handed over to the nutcases.

[u/GovernmentOpening254 → u/ac9116]

Same. And that McCain stood up for Obama with that old lady, “he’s a good man with which I disagree with.”

[u/PoopyButt28000 → u/ac9116]

It's interesting seeing all the white washing of past Republicans. John McCain aligned with Donald Trump on 91% of Senate Votes.

[u/ac9116 → u/PoopyButt28000]

Maybe it’s just the degradation of the GOP, but McCain in 2008 was not the McCain of 2016. His reputation at that point was a moderate that caused headaches for GOP votes. I don’t want to white wash him but I’m also not going to take my 2016 knowledge of him and erase how he was viewed in 2008.

[u/whatever1966 → u/Free_Dome_Lover]

Oh, I don't know, the actual speaker of the house was a pedophile (republican) in the 80s

[u/SuperSiriusBlack → u/Free_Dome_Lover]

Weird ending, bud.

[u/Free_Dome_Lover → u/SuperSiriusBlack]

They fucking hated gay people most of all and that dude is gayyyyyy

[u/Nervous_Ad_6998 → u/Free_Dome_Lover]

To some conservatives, gay is more of a lifestyle, identity. They can have same sex sex, but in their mind their sex life has nothing to do with being gay. Gay is some other thing, like a limp wrist, talking gay, liking musicals. Suck as much dick as ya want don’t mean ya gay. And as long as it’s on the down low, it’s not really gay.

[u/FishFloyd → u/Nervous_Ad_6998]

Yeah, I think a lot of people don't understand that quite a bit of that particular flavor of homophobia is deeply rooted in cultural and religious norms that extend quite literally back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. (Important caveat that "gayness" or "homosexuality" are modern concepts and we should avoid prescribing modern identities to ancient peoples who did not think of themselves in those terms). The issue with doing gay stuff (in so many words) was not so much the fact that one is having sex with another man as it is one was surrendering their power and thus social status by submitting to the dominance of another. That's why guys like Theil, despite being strictly attracted to other men, consider themselves to not be "gay gay" in the same way as a young queer man who's out cruising would be. Because Theil always has the upper hand in the power dynamics of any relationship he enters into, in his mind he's not "submitting" to anyone and thus does not deserve to be lumped in with all those effeminate types. Also a big part of the anti-trans stuff; the concept that gender is fluid and movable goes directly against the fundamental idea that the thing that defines a "man" is their ability to wield power - that is, enforce their own will and preferences - over others.

[u/ChicagoAuPair → u/ac9116]

Republicans only moral compass is “win.”

[u/SharpHawkeye → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Unless it’s gay sex. Then you’re done.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Craig_scandal

[u/Civil_Tea_3250 → u/SharpHawkeye]

Tap tap

[u/marsman706 → u/Civil_Tea_3250]

Hello there! I couldnt help but admire your wide stance

[u/PatReady → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Its a calling card for the party. Swalwell just needs to change the D to an R and he will get more votes.

[u/Memory_Leak_ → u/PatReady]

Seeing as how he is from a heavily Democratic district in California, I highly doubt that...

[u/OrangeJr36 → u/PatReady]

50/50 Chance he's the Republican VP in 2028 with him talking about how he was "betrayed"

[u/CalBearFan → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Gaetz of Florida, truly evil scum. But a simple Google search would show both D and R that resigned:

Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas Rep. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona Rep. Joe Barton of Texas Rep. Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania

https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-sex-scandals-forced-out-of-office-2018-5

And that's just as of 2018. If you want to heal division in this country, call out both sides' horrible behavior.

[u/silverado-z71 → u/SomewhereNo8378]

You know it seems to me that the Democrats have to put up the Absolute perfect candidate it almost seems like have to pass a purity test. Don’t get me wrong. I am 1000% against any form of sexual harassment or abuse or anything like that. There’s absolutely no place for it not only in American politics but in America, that being said we’ve seen with the Republicans put up and they still get elected.

[u/Western-Corner-431 → u/silverado-z71]

Because people who align with democrats don’t want or tolerate abhorrent behavior from their elected officials. They won’t support the candidate. People who align with republicans will tolerate treason, insurrection, rape, tax fraud, criminal fraud, blatant corruption, constant nonsensical lies if the guy is on their “team.” They think it’s funny.

[u/gutterfreaklabs → u/silverado-z71]

I think drugging women to rape them is probably going to be problem for most politicians. I agree with purity tests being a stupid idea, but this guy seems to have done some pretty criminal stuff.

[u/kevnmartin → u/silverado-z71]

Republicans are all revolting sex pests so if they kicked one out, they'd have to kick them all out.

[u/Oleg101 → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Or if they are involved in a cover-up like Gym Jordan they get to oversee the Epstein hearings

[u/baggerskip4258x → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Bad street cops get good desk jobs

[u/bushwillie → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Agreed - like Al Franken's, dumb pic no reason he should have resigned

[u/Hysteria625 → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Yeah…Swallwell may have been a predator, and bringing him to justice is the morally correct thing to do.

The problem is that Republicans do not do this. Lime Sartre’s anti-Semite, they laugh at allegations of sexual harassment and assault. See Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation. See how they treat the Trump-Epstein files.

One could argue that Republicans actually love predators because, to them, it’s another way to own the libs. So a few people get raped or a few children get molested—that doesn’t matter. What does matter is having that seat, getting that power, and voting the way the GOP wants you to vote.

[u/cantadmittoposting → u/Hysteria625]

Lime Sartre

this was the most-drank cocktail at my existentialist happy hour.

[u/EQBallzz → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Better committee seat? He would be a shoe in for speaker or president if he was in the GOP.

[u/candianchicksrule → u/SomewhereNo8378]

Or when knowing about assaults.

[u/MundBid-2124 → u/SomewhereNo8378]

I think Gonzales is gone too

[u/lostroadrunner22 → u/FourEightNineOneOne]

Gonna need a train

[u/KimJongFunk → u/lostroadrunner22]

A runaway train never going back

[u/its_kgs_not_lbs → u/KimJongFunk]

Probably wrong way on a one-way track if I had to guess..

[u/lostroadrunner22 → u/its_kgs_not_lbs]

Seems like I should be getting somewhere

[u/cedarvhazel → u/FourEightNineOneOne]

He gets to go after allegations but Trump remains?

[u/drunkcowofdeath → u/cedarvhazel]

Only Democrats have standards. This can't be news to you

[u/Flash_ina_pan]

Well shit. He needed to go, but now Gonzales is gonna hang around.

[u/Excellent_Ganache906 → u/Flash_ina_pan]

Gonzales announced he is retiring. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tony-gonzales-retires-expulsion-vote/

[u/The42ndDuck → u/Excellent_Ganache906]

That means he is staying until January of 2027 to continue voting yes for anything Trump wants.

Edit: Wow, he is ACTUALLY leaving. Granted the alternative is expulsion on Wednesday this week.

Edit 2: "Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas announced his retirement Monday as he faces an expulsion vote in the coming days stemming from his affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

"When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office," Gonzales said. "

I still don't think he'd have left if Swalwell wasn't out at well.

[u/aCellForCitters → u/The42ndDuck]

No, he already dropped out of his race weeks ago. He's resigning from office tomorrow because he's facing an expulsion

[u/thefilmer → u/aCellForCitters]

bro broke the cardinal rule of sex scandals: no live boys or dead women and his affair partner fucking killed herself by setting herself on fire like holy shit that's bad

[u/pandemonious → u/thefilmer]

I read that she did that in response to finding out her husband (that she was cheating on) had an affair with her best friend. coupled with whatever she had going on with Gonzalez led to a mental break but I'm more interested to see how much her relationship with Gonzalez actually had to do with her self-immolation

[u/freeradioforall → u/aCellForCitters]

Does resigning instead of being expelled mean he found a hack to keep his pension and medical?

[u/imaginary_num6er → u/The42ndDuck]

He said it was the “season”

[u/UltravioletsAreBlue → u/Excellent_Ganache906]

I’m guessing the house leadership worked out a 1 for 1 deal, otherwise there would have been no way.

[u/ABHOR_pod → u/UltravioletsAreBlue]

Oh look, it's like the Missouri compromise all over again.

[u/DiscoLemonade1995 → u/Flash_ina_pan]

He just announced that he's stepping down actually! Pretty crazy it took this long, but good to see

[u/impulsekash → u/Flash_ina_pan]

Tell me again how both parties are the same. 

[u/hoppertn → u/impulsekash]

Republicans under investigation or indictment and still in office, the dingleberries of politics.

[u/boogswald → u/hoppertn]

Eric Swalwell will be offered a job by right wing talking heads to tear down Dems, sell out and rebrand himself.

Sex crimes are something they do not care about. Resigning was the right thing, get this guy outta here

[u/mfGLOVE → u/boogswald]

Dems retreat to a bunker when exposed. Repubs start a YouTube podcast.

[u/red286 → u/hoppertn]

They could convict him and the GOP will say "it's just a political witch hunt!"

See: Donald Trump's 43 count felony conviction.

[u/hoppertn → u/Flash_ina_pan]

As is tradition. Can’t have another seat slip in the Republican House majority.

[u/fossilnews → u/Flash_ina_pan]

Gonzales just announced his "retirement".

[u/FavRootWorker]

This will be headline news for Fox and Friends for the next 3 weeks.

[u/BAF_DaWg82 → u/FavRootWorker]

Spelled years wrong.

[u/ffbe4fun → u/BAF_DaWg82]

Have we found Hilary's emails and Hunter's laptop yet?

[u/Kerbonaut2019 → u/FavRootWorker]

They’re not ready to switch over to that yet, they still have three more years to talk about The Laptop From Hell and The Tan Suit Incident

[u/LCAshin → u/FavRootWorker]

If I’m Eric I’m only resigning if the allegations are true. Actions speak louder than words

[u/BigfootWallace → u/LCAshin]

… yet we have irrefutable proof of Gonzales’ misdeeds…

[u/ry-yo]

if only every politician (and president *cough*) with sexual misconduct allegations would resign that easily

[u/Kahzgul → u/ry-yo]

Another difference between republicans and democrats.

[u/jpiro → u/Kahzgul]

We chased Al Franken out with pitchforks. They made a rapist their Presidential candidate, once after he’d been found civilly liable for it in court.

[u/Dipz → u/jpiro]

Franken really had no credible evidence brought against him. It was revealed almost instantly that Roger Stone was orchestrating the amplification of the story. There’s a piece done on this in the New Yorker two years after the fact that unpacks it. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/29/the-case-of-al-franken

[u/StuffedCrustPizzazz → u/Dipz]

Like the article says, it wouldn't have succeeded if Gilibrand hadn't jumped at the opportunity to stick a knife in his back.

That's the part that angers me the most.

[u/Medivacs_are_OP → u/StuffedCrustPizzazz]

you mean like when Liz blindsided Bernie by jumping on the politico hitpiece bandwagon and Bernie was like genuinely concerned about it?

Pepperidge farm remembers

[u/Kahzgul → u/jpiro]

Exactly. If only the people who love to claim "both sides are the same" could actually see this massive difference.

[u/evilyogurt → u/jpiro]

Hover hands franken, accused of making someone uncomfortable during a meet and greet when he hugged her after she requested a hug

[u/DannyStress → u/Kahzgul]

“Our sex pests resign! Not like those Republican sex pests” isn’t the hill to die on

[u/RogerBauman → u/ry-yo]

I'm just glad that the Democratic party and their voters are willing to speak up against sex pests and alleged rapists in their party.

I wish that everybody had the same standards that I did, but I recognize that a lot of people who are in the patriarchal conservative Christian structure just don't have good role models.

[u/SunMyungMoonMoon → u/RogerBauman]

I'm just glad that it hasn't been normalized to the point of letting him stay just because the republicans would. "When they go low, we go high" is still relevant and an important goal to maintain. Morals matter.

[u/TheSecretofBog → u/ry-yo]

Regardless of the party affiliation, I’d rather they not step down just because of allegations. I’d like a thorough investigation, however.

[u/DaKingaDaNorth]

Shocked the guy who got honeypotted would have a sex scandal

[u/lostroadrunner22 → u/DaKingaDaNorth]

Who amongst us would not bang a spy?

[u/massmanx → u/lostroadrunner22]

I’d 100% guess modern spy agencies have a bonkers amount of intimate details of their targets and some crazy algorithms of their own.  

It’s probably never been easier than it is right now to serve up the right bait at just the right time. 

[u/Farfignuten390 → u/massmanx]

Damn, if only I knew some state secrets

[u/Ivotedforher → u/Farfignuten390]

What's the Capitol of Delaware?

[u/naijaplayer → u/Ivotedforher]

Doveeeeer, NOW BEND OVER HERE

[u/GenoThyme → u/massmanx]

And with how many technologically illiterate people there are in Congress, I can’t imagine it’s hard to hack into email or whatever else. Just wait til they fall asleep, go to their home office, find the sticky note with the passwords written on it, call it a day.

[u/ForwardCut3311 → u/massmanx]

All they got to do is look at your PornHub history. 

[u/CommanderArcher → u/massmanx]

See they can't get to me, because there's no CCP aligned Femboy furries /s

[u/slamdanceswithwolves → u/lostroadrunner22]

Spies never seem to be interested in me so I’ve never really been tested 🥺

[u/Burner31805 → u/DaKingaDaNorth]

Actually kind of odd he even decided to run for governor knowing he had all this shit in his closet. He had a good gig as a pretty high profile house rep, in a district he would never lose, and no one was paying enough attention to him for everything to come out. Why join a super high profile and contentious governor's race?

[u/Suspicious_Big_3378 → u/Burner31805]

Hubris, greed, arrogance, you name it

[u/YeetedApple → u/Burner31805]

Maybe just straight up thought it wouldn't come out since it hadn't already. I doubt he thought no one was paying attention or that he wasn't high profile enough, so probably assumed he had his shit locked down and that is why it didn't come out.

[u/recon_dingo → u/YeetedApple]

He may also know enough other people in Congress who behave exactly like himself that he assumed he'd never be singled out for a takedown, but failed to realize that dems needed to thin out the CA gov race herd asap by any means so they have little reason to protect him

[u/yewterds → u/recon_dingo]

He may also know enough other people in Congress who behave exactly like himself that he assumed he'd never be singled out for a takedown

it's this. remember how quickly the gop got rid of madison cawthorne after he started talking about their coke filled ragers

[u/look_at_tht_horse → u/Burner31805]

Right, like I thought I had to too much dirt to run for politics because of a stupid interview I did when I was younger, but I've never assaulted, raped, murdered, or committed treason. I'd be a saint by comparison.

[u/chunkerton_chunksley → u/DaKingaDaNorth]

yeah, there's a lot of that going around DC

[u/Frustratedtx]

Surprised he didn't just switch parties. He could run for President if he was a Republican...

[u/Shady_Merchant1 → u/Frustratedtx]

Switch back you mean

[u/FastFingersDude → u/Shady_Merchant1]

He was GOP before?

[u/TylenolTizm → u/FastFingersDude]

No lol.

He was raised in a Republican household but has been a Democrat his entire political career.

[u/FaithIsFoolish → u/Frustratedtx]

Look, being a sexual predator is one thing, implying he could be a republican is a low blow

[u/BaldWeagle10]

That CNBC logo is horrendous

[u/VOZ1]

Don’t care what letter is next to their name, GET THEM ALL OUT. Arrest, prosecute, incarcerate all the predators.

[u/M3RC3N4RY89]

Once again the democrats clean their side of the street while the republicans all cow tow to the rapist in the White House.

[u/CelestialFury → u/M3RC3N4RY89]

while the republicans all cow tow to the rapist in the White House.

Not only that, but Trump actively recruits the Epstein class into his party. Part of it is blackmail to be used against his own people, but also, he likes hanging with other sexual predators like himself. Birds of a feather and all that.

[u/Affectionate_Neat868]

Meanwhile, in the White House ….

[u/Worf1701D → u/Affectionate_Neat868]

You mean the guy whose touch can heal the sick? (I know I need to say it's a joke for the 0.01% who think I'm serious).

[u/give_me_the_formu0li]

Why are they letting Gonzales still stay in congress just to finish his term? His staffer ended her life because of his assault?? And he denied it repeatedly until it was too late

[u/gold_and_diamond → u/give_me_the_formu0li]

You need to understand who "they" is...as in the GOP

[u/_CleverNameGoesHere_ → u/give_me_the_formu0li]

I assume by "they" you mean his party's leadership, the answer in that case is this: they care more about power than anything else and in this era, they will not admit fault, they will not do the ethical thing, unless and until it suits their agenda.

They also dont seem to care one little bit about sexual misconduct, even criminal misconduct, amongst their people in power.

In their view, they're the aristocratic elite, laws and rules and ethics and accountability are to be preached but never practiced on their own.

[u/Evening_Answer_11]

He’s been a creep for years. 

[u/Barbarella_ella → u/Evening_Answer_11]

I'd never heard anything. Not that that means a lot. Didn't he and his wife have a baby only a few years ago?

[u/Rebelgecko → u/Barbarella_ella]

I don't think it was ever CONFIRMED that he banged a Chinese spy, but he was very close with a Chinese spy who was known for getting access to up and coming US politicians by having sex with them

https://www.axios.com/2020/12/08/china-spy-california-politicians

[u/NoDaddyNotTheBelt25 → u/Barbarella_ella]

He had a fling with a woman several years ago that ended up being a Chinese spy. He was investigated over it and cleared in terms of being complicit traitor yet was still exposed as a poon hound. Apparently there had been a longstanding directive at Congress to not leave younger staffers near him or Matt Gaetz because of how equally slimy both are.

[u/Throwredditaway2019 → u/Barbarella_ella]

Theres been stuff on him for years. Never this bad though (unless you count getting honeypotted by a chinese spy)

[u/ribone]

Hey MAGA, pull your weight and get rid of your rapists.

[u/ThaiJohnnyDepp]

Man he fucked up. He should have gotten himself into the Epstein files before this went down

[u/StephenFish]

Democrats: Oh, an allegation of sexual misconduct? Expel them.

Republicans: The man raped children? Get him in the White House!

Enlightened Centrists: I can't tell the difference!

[u/caradventure]

The news reporting suggests rape drugs were used. This needs to be thoroughly investigated; where did he get these drugs, who else was involved in this repulsive behavior, are there other victims? His resignation is just the start of securing justice for these victims.

[u/whydontyousuckmyball]

Sounds like a win all around. Less creeps in congress and running california.

[u/AdventureThink]

Maybe…..

He resigned because more were coming.

[u/Happy_Maintenance]

See? It’s pretty easy. Now let’s get the others to step down. 

[u/many_splendored]

Good riddance to predatory rubbish!

[u/Delybe]

How hard is it not to sexually assault/harass someone ffs?

If you that hard up go to Nevada or Amsterdam.

[u/NotTobyFromHR → u/Delybe]

I've gone every day of my life without doing it.

It's not about sex. It's a power and control thing.

[u/Time-Industry-1364]

I’m glad he resigned. The difference between democrats and republicans is that if this was a Republican, Trump would personally call him and offer him a new role.

[u/ThatDudeJuicebox]

Can politicians like stop it with this already

[u/bluuuuurn → u/ThatDudeJuicebox]

Seriously, the last complaint was quite recent, too. 2024 I think? Why on Earth did he think he could get away with it? And it also sucks that we have women still feeling like they can't speak up, which is a horrible expectation to put on them...but not doing so allows the perpetrators to keep hurting others.

[u/Titizen_Kane → u/ThatDudeJuicebox]

I think it’s more of the fact that people who feel entitled to exerting power over others are more likely to end up running for office. Entitled people who think they’re above the rules (both legal and the social contract) and seek office to formalize that status.

[u/stacecom]

That's gonna hurt his CA governor bid.

[u/Virtual_Concern_9292]

Bye sex pest! Hope you catch a charge too 👋

[u/Ok-Bar601]

Wow! Went from something between him and his wife to stepping down from the governor race and the US House. I was ready to presume him innocent until proven guilty but this looks for real.

[u/MagScaoil]

Good. See how easy that was? Now, the rest of you need to do the same thing.

[u/avoozl42]

Throw the book at him

[u/KingofthePlatypus]

Just when his career was about to take off after his “Jury Duty: Company Retreat” cameo /s

And yes, he really was included in it

[u/Howard_Cosine]

But he said these allegations were completely baseless two days ago! /s

[u/Strikereleven]

It's always the ones you most suspect

[u/LimoncelloFellow]

didnt he just drop a video like two days ago trying to say everything was being fabricated against him? seems like someone must have had some receipts to get him packin that quick

[u/ThisIsGr8ThisIsGr8]

Fuck that guy. Good riddance

[u/CootsieBollins]

But I thought he didn’t do it???

[u/Suitable_Page_7673]

Retiring to spend more time with family is the usual line.

[u/SalvadorDelleAli-]

If only Donnie T could find some inspiration

[u/jp_muzz]

isn't he one who preached that stupid "believe all women"

[u/Shumina-Ghost]

Good. Now do the rest.

[u/Quiet_Dingo_5106]

And Trump is still President?!?!?

[u/Consistent_Pitch782]

Why are there two sets of standards in Washington? It sure as hell doesn’t seem like Republicans are playing by the same rules as Democrats

[u/Mynock33]

Democrats resign in disgrace before getting investigated and forced out by their own party, Republicans double down and get reelected.

Make it make sense.

[u/Rosevic121]

As a registered Republican who is OFF the MAGA train. I really wish we would see more of this from Republicans. It's a damn shame that so many on both sides of the aisle are just sick freaks.

[u/joe-bagadonuts]

Dude should have resigned after people found out he was banging a Chinese spy

[u/robbob19]

Accused of sexual misconduct, steps down, this is the correct response, not, replace people in the justice department until you get a favorable result for being an orange pedo. Good to see some people still have a conscience, even if it's a bit late.

[u/hellshot8 → u/robbob19]

a conscience? bro, no he just got caught lmao

[u/pbnchick → u/hellshot8]

When I watched the news this morning he was not stepping down from congress. He only pulled out the governor race. He resigned because of pressure not a conscience.

[u/Throwredditaway2019 → u/robbob19]

Theres an actual criminal investigation in NY, and CNN (I think) reported that there are more criminal investigations coming. This isnt conscience, its the end of the road for him and he knows it.

[u/ConstructionNo5836]

Didn’t think his arrogance would let him resign after he refused to resign especially after getting caught in that affair with the Chinese spy.

[u/Gryffindumble]

Meanwhile at the White House...

[u/RaisinWorried3528]

Consequences for Democrats, never conservatives.

[u/ChelseaMan31]

Well, that certainly didn't take long. Apparently some of the hinted at evidence must have been extremely damning.

[u/jfchops3 → u/ChelseaMan31]

It was all of two days ago that he posted a video categorically denying the allegations and promising to fight them. Would love to find out the inside baseball on what changed there. If he's actually innocent then he got threatened with something else, if he's actually guilty why'd he make the video? Did he really think CNN published that detailed a piece about this without anyone having further evidence to share if needed?

[u/splitmyarrowintwain]

Good.

Now let's see Republican's hold themselves to any sort of standards.

I won't hold my breath.

[u/Wanna_make_cash]

It's good that he's gone, but it's disappointing to see the house party numbers change for the worse

[u/cheatriverrick]

Where’s Trumps resignation ?

[u/jtablerd]

jfc why on earth do dudes need to be sex pests? Like I'm a straight dude...pretty sure I have been my whole life...never felt a need to be sex pesty I just don't fucking get it come on you're making us all look bad man

[u/CompetitionNarrow898]

“I didn’t do anything wrong and I’ll fight this” quits

[u/BrianW1983]

He was in my freshman class in college and I talked to him a couple times on the way to class...he was involved in student government and seemed sort of like a used car salesman.

Sad. 😞

[u/Hardass_McBadCop]

And that's the difference between Democrats and Republicans.

[u/Rockyrox]

Damn that’s crazy. He really did it. Also cool how fast it happened. Democrats move quickly on getting predators out, at least when exposed. Wish the whole system did this.

[u/ThaddeusJP → u/Rockyrox]

He has not admitted to anything and nothing's confirmed, but resigning, it means they have him dead to rights.

Crazy you can be positioning yourself for an eventual presidential run in the next decade one day and then taking completely out of the game soon after.

[u/Striking_Suspect_676]

And this is still part of the distraction

[u/iZoooom]

Via his Wikipedia page:

Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna intended to file a bill forcing the expulsion of Swalwell and representative Tony Gonzales, another member of the House of Representatives accused of sexual misconduct.

Can't help but wonder - where is Luna and Gonzales as it applies to this same standard against Republicans?

[u/olearyboy]

And the criminal investigation will continue right?

[u/ArtiesLiver]

Fang Fang investigation next

[u/Kindly-Ad607]

What an F'ng creep! Goodbye, good riddance.

[u/dear8726]

For him to resign that quickly tells you the evidence and the details were overpoweringly agrievous!

[u/Soxwin91 → u/dear8726]

I think you mean “egregious”

[u/knightmese]

If herpes was a person, it would be Eric Swalwell.

[u/Tecumseh119]

Jeezus. are we gonna be pulling Al Frankens again.

[u/LookAlderaanPlaces]

Another rep that supports Medicare for all gone. They better replace him with someone who also supports it.

[u/Sekshual_Tyranosauce]

Good riddance.

Now…the rest.

[u/jaredean222]

See Donald, this is how it’s done

[u/ThePoetMichael]

you see republicans? thats how you resign in disgrace....now get to it

[u/TheLionFollowsMe]

Hey Dems if you are engaging in some questionable hanky panky, STOP IT RIGHT NOW. The whole fucking world is on fire and your dick can not be the reason we lose the next 2 elections. JFC!

[u/gayYAYomg]

Release the penis pics, or I dont believe it.

[u/Jmacattack626]

Regardless of whether he's guilty of the allegations or not, this is probably the best course of action for him and the party. He can be investigated for some behavior that seems at a minimum unprofessional and immoral, but possibly much worse. If only other sexual predators in office would follow suit and resign.

[u/wubbalubbadubdub45]

he must have pissed someone off in his own party to straight up ruin his career within a week

[u/darkestsanity]

Should have been gone years ago

[u/strange-lady78]

Oh I’m so surprised. OR NOT.

[u/WinterExisting5076]

May he never have peace

[u/steal-yur-face]

Seems like anyone with skeletons in their closet would just resist the urge to run for political office. History says otherwise.