2026年4月13日，美国东部时间下午5:32 / 美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
作者：安妮·格雷尔、莎拉·费里斯
更新于2026年4月13日，美国东部时间下午7:32
斯沃威尔表示计划在性侵指控风波中辞去国会议员职务
民主党众议员埃里克·斯沃威尔于周一宣布，他计划辞去国会职务，此前针对他的爆炸性性侵指控浮出水面。
这位来自加利福尼亚州的民主党议员宣布这一决定之际，众议院刚刚宣布对他展开道德调查，两党议员都不断施压要求他辞职。斯沃威尔已否认相关指控，此前他已暂停了加利福尼亚州州长竞选活动，但这并未平息要求他辞职的呼声。这位国会议员还面临着众议院全院投票将其驱逐出境的可能性。
“在指控提出仅数天内就不经正当程序驱逐国会任何一名议员，这是错误的，”斯沃威尔在其发布在X平台的声明中说道，“但我的选民也不应让我分心于本职工作，这同样是错误的。因此，我计划辞去国会席位。”
他未明确说明具体离职时间。一场填补该议员席位的特别选举可能于今年夏季举行。
美国有线电视新闻网和《旧金山纪事报》上周报道称，一名前工作人员指控斯沃威尔性侵，称两人曾饮酒至深夜，在她无法同意的情况下，斯沃威尔与其发生了性关系。除性侵指控外，另有三名女性向CNN爆料，称斯沃威尔存在其他不当性行为，包括未经对方同意发送裸照和露骨信息。
斯沃威尔坚决且多次否认性侵指控。
“我为自己过去在判断力上犯下的错误，向我的家人、工作人员和选民深表歉意，”斯沃威尔在宣布辞职计划的声明中表示，“我将对针对我的严重虚假指控进行抗辩。不过，我必须为自己确实犯下的错误承担责任。”
斯沃威尔计划辞职标志着其政治生涯快速且显著的陨落。
这位加州民主党人于2012年当选国会议员，随后在党内迅速崛起。他经常亮相电视节目，与党领袖一同出席活动，参与了国会山民主党最受关注的多场政治斗争，并在2020年总统大选中短暂参选。
就在一周前，这位国会议员还在为争夺该州6月的州长竞选初选而奔走。当时，相关指控仅以未经证实的形式在社交媒体上流传，斯沃威尔已提前进行了反驳。
“这一虚假且离谱的谣言在选举开始前27天被散播，是陷入困境的对手所为，他们可悲地与‘让美国再次伟大’（MAGA）阴谋论者勾结，因为他们清楚埃里克·斯沃威尔是本次竞选的领跑者，”斯沃威尔竞选团队通讯主任迈卡·比斯利当时在一份声明中说道。
但随后CNN和《旧金山纪事报》的报道出炉，导致大量支持者撤回对他的背书，并敦促他退出竞选。一些人甚至进一步要求他辞去公职。
超过50名斯沃威尔的前工作人员于周日签署联名信，呼吁他退出州长竞选并辞去国会议职。
“《旧金山纪事报》和CNN报道的指控严肃且可信，必须追究责任，”信中写道，“我们明确支持站出来分享真相的同事，我们相信她。”
周一，就在斯沃威尔宣布辞职前不久，长期盟友、曾担任他2020年总统竞选团队主席的亚利桑那州参议员鲁本·加列戈在一份声明中表示，这位处境艰难的加州议员该离职了。
“我支持道德委员会的调查，认为埃里克·斯沃威尔不再适合担任国会议员。他应该被驱逐出国会，”加列戈在声明中说道，并补充道，“我曾信任一个我以为是朋友的人，但如今显然他并非我当初认识的那个人。”
加列戈周一晚间告诉CNN，他在性侵指控报道曝光后上周五最后一次与斯沃威尔通话。他表示，当时他敦促斯沃威尔退出州长竞选并辞职。
“我一上车就告诉他：‘照顾好你的家人，退出吧，’”加列戈说道。
虽然目前尚不清楚驱逐斯沃威尔的努力能否成功，但部分本党议员在阅读性侵指控细节后感到愤慨，已开始谋划如何将他赶出众议院。
而这些民主党人并非仅计划以驱逐这一最严厉的国会议员惩戒措施惩罚一人。多名消息人士向CNN透露，一些民主党议员私下暗示，只有共和党也愿意投票驱逐他们自己陷入争议的同僚，他们才会考虑投票罢免斯沃威尔。
幕后已浮现一项计划：由两党各一名议员——新墨西哥州民主党众议员特雷莎·莱格尔·费尔南德斯和佛罗里达州共和党众议员安娜·宝琳娜·卢纳——各自起草一项驱逐议案，分别针对面临公开不当行为指控的议员。共和党议员的议案将针对斯沃威尔，而民主党议员的议案则针对得克萨斯州共和党众议员托尼·冈萨雷斯，后者上月承认与一名后来自杀的工作人员有染。
斯沃威尔宣布辞职后不久，冈萨雷斯同样出人意料地宣布，他也即将辞去国会议职。
“凡事皆有其时，上帝对我们所有人都有安排。国会明日复会后，我将提交退休申请。能为得克萨斯州伟大的民众服务，是我的荣幸，”冈萨雷斯在X平台发布的声明中说道。
斯沃威尔辞职并非这场指控风波的终点。曼哈顿地区检察官办公室周六表示，正在调查这名前工作人员所称发生在纽约的性侵指控。阿拉米达县地区检察官办公室周六在给CNN的声明中表示，该办公室正在“评估是否存在任何涉嫌犯罪行为”发生在旧金山湾区的阿拉米达县，这名女子指控斯沃威尔于2019年在该县实施了另一性侵行为。
斯沃威尔曾是众议院情报委员会成员，在两次弹劾唐纳德·特朗普总统的过程中都扮演了高调角色。2021年特朗普第二次弹劾审判期间，时任众议院议长南希·佩洛西任命斯沃威尔为弹劾经理，在参议院为民主党一方抗辩。
2023年，时任众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡取消了斯沃威尔和另一位加州民主党人、前情报委员会主席亚当·希夫在情报委员会的席位。
“我不能将党派忠诚置于国家安全之上，也不能仅以多年服务作为进入这个至关重要委员会的唯一标准。诚信更为重要，”麦卡锡在宣布这一决定时，在写给众议院少数党领袖哈基姆·杰弗里斯的信中写道。
斯沃威尔此前还曾面临一项与不当性行为指控无关的众议院道德委员会调查。
该委员会于2023年结束了此前的调查，未采取任何行动。该调查是在有关斯沃威尔成为疑似中国情报人员目标的指控后启动的，相关人员试图建立与美国政客的联系。
斯沃威尔2020年告诉CNN，当联邦调查局告知他成为目标时，他“感到震惊”，并表示他立即配合了调查该涉案人员的联邦调查员。
《华盛顿邮报》3月报道称，联邦调查局局长卡什·帕特尔正推动公布该局调查的案件档案。
本文已更新补充更多信息。
CNN的伊森·科恩、劳伦·福克斯和马努·拉朱对本文亦有贡献。
Swalwell says he plans to resign from Congress amid sexual misconduct allegations
Apr 13, 2026, 5:32 PM ET / CNN
By Annie Grayer, Sarah Ferris
Updated Apr 13, 2026, 7:32 PM ET
Swalwell says he plans to resign from Congress amid sexual misconduct allegations
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced Monday he planned to resign from Congress following explosive allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
The announcement from the California Democrat comes as he faced a just-announced House ethics investigation and mounting pressure on both sides of the aisle to step down. Swalwell, who has denied the allegations, had already suspended his California gubernatorial bid — though that did not tamp down the calls that he leave his job. The congressman was also confronting the prospect of a vote on the House floor to expel him.
“Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,” Swalwell said in a statement posted to X. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”
He did not indicate precisely when he would leave office. A special election to fill the congressman’s seat could take place this summer.
CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that a former staffer accused Swalwell sexual assault, describing a night of drinking that ended with him having sex with her when she could not consent. In addition to the allegation of sexual assault, three other women who spoke with CNN alleged other sexual misconduct, including that Swalwell sent unsolicited nude photos and graphic messages.
Swalwell has strongly and repeatedly denied allegations of sexual assault.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgement I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in his statement announcing his plans to resign. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
Swalwell’s planned resignation marks a remarkable and swift political downfall.
Elected to Congress in 2012, the California Democrat quickly rose within the ranks of his party. Appearing regularly on television and alongside leadership, Swalwell was part of his party’s most high-profile political battles on Capitol Hill and made a brief run for president in the 2020 election.
At this time last week, the congressman was vying to win his state’s June 2 primary in the governor’s race. At that time, the allegations largely existed in uncorroborated form on social media, and Swalwell had issued a preemptive rebuttal.
“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Swalwell campaign communications director Micah Beasley said in a statement at the time.
But then came CNN’s and the Chronicle’s reporting, which led to a raft of his supporters pulling their endorsements and urging him to drop out of the race. Some went even further, saying he should leave office.
More than 50 former Swalwell staffers signed a letter Sunday calling on him to drop out of the race and resign from Congress.
“The allegations reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN are serious, credible, and demand accountability,” the letter said. “We stand unequivocally with our colleague, who showed extraordinary courage in coming forward to share her truth. We believe her.”
On Monday, not long before Swalwell announced he would resign, Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a longtime ally who chaired his 2020 presidential campaign, said in a statement it was time for the embattled California representative to go.
“I support the ethics committee’s investigation and believe Eric Swalwell is no longer fit to be a Member of Congress. He should be expelled from Congress,” Gallego said in a statement, adding, “I trusted someone who I believed was a friend, but it is now clear that he is not the person I thought I knew.”
Gallego told CNN on Monday evening that he last spoke to Swalwell on Friday after the reports about the sexual assault allegation surfaced. He said he pressed Swalwell to get out of the governor’s race and resign.
“As soon as I got in the car, I told him, ‘Take care of your family, get out,’” Gallego said.
While it was not yet clear whether an effort to expel Swalwell would succeed, some members of his own party had begun plotting how to remove him from the House after reading details of the alleged sexual misconduct with disgust.
And he was not the only member these Democrats had been seeking to punish with expulsion — the most severe consequence possible for a member of Congress. Some Democrats had been privately signaling they would be willing to vote to oust Swalwell only if Republicans did the same for one of their own embattled colleagues, multiple sources told CNN.
Behind the scenes, a plan had emerged for a woman from each party, Democratic Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, to each draft an expulsion measure to force separate removal votes targeting members who had publicly faced allegations of wrongdoing. The GOP representative’s measure would target Swalwell, while the Democrat’s would target GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who last month acknowledged an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
Not long after Swalwell’s announcement, Gonzales similarly announced in a surprise move that he, too, would step down from Congress imminently.
“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas,” Gonzales said in a statement posted to X.
Swalwell’s resignation isn’t the end of the fallout from the allegations. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said Saturday it is investigating the allegation of sexual assault the former staffer said took place in New York. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office told CNN in a statement Saturday it is “evaluating whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred within” the Bay Area county, where the same woman accused Swalwell of a separate act of sexual misconduct she said took place in 2019.
Once a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Swalwell played a high-profile role in both impeachments of President Donald Trump. Swalwell was appointed by then-Speaker House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve as an impeachment manager to argue Democrats’ case in the Senate during Trump’s second impeachment trial in 2021.
In 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy denied seats on the intelligence panel to Swalwell and Adam Schiff, a fellow California Democrat and the former chairman of the panel.
“I cannot put partisan loyalty ahead of national security, and I cannot simply recognize years of service as the sole criteria for membership on this essential committee. Integrity matters more,” McCarthy wrote in a letter to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as he announced the move.
Swalwell had also previously faced a separate House Ethics Committee probe unrelated to the misconduct allegations.
The committee closed the prior investigation in 2023 without taking action. The inquiry was opened following claims that Swalwell had been targeted by a suspected Chinese intelligence operative as part of a broader effort to establish ties with US politicians.
Swalwell told CNN in 2020 that he was “shocked” when the FBI informed him that he had been targeted and said that he immediately cooperated with federal investigators who were looking into the individual in question.
The Washington Post reported in March that FBI Director Kash Patel was pushing to release case files from the bureau’s investigation.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Ethan Cohen, Lauren Fox and Manu Raju contributed to this report.
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