The U.S. House of Representatives just saw something that rarely happens in the history of the chamber. Two congressmen, Eric Swalwell of California and Tony Gonzales of Texas, quit their jobs on the same day. They didn't leave because they found better work or because they wanted to spend time with their families. They left because the alternative was a public, bipartisan execution of their careers through expulsion.
It’s about time.
For too long, the halls of Congress have acted like a protective bubble for people who wouldn't last a week in a private-sector job. If you're a manager at a mid-sized tech firm and you're accused of what these men are accused of, you're gone by lunch. In Washington, it usually takes a literal act of Congress—and a two-thirds majority at that—to show someone the door. But the tide shifted on Monday, April 13, 2026.
The Downfall of a Gubernatorial Favorite
Eric Swalwell wasn't just any congressman. Until a few days ago, he was the frontrunner to be the next governor of California. He had the money, the name ID, and the momentum. Then the walls fell in. Over the weekend, reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailed allegations from four different women. One former staffer alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice while she was too intoxicated to consent.
Swalwell's reaction was a classic Washington dance. He suspended his campaign for governor on Sunday, hoping that would be enough to keep his House seat. It wasn't. By Monday, the House Ethics Committee opened a formal probe. Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida gave him a 24-hour ultimatum: resign or face an expulsion resolution.
Swalwell claimed he was resigning to avoid being a "distraction," but let’s be real. He saw the math. When your own party leaders, including Hakeem Jeffries and Nancy Pelosi, back away, you don't have a leg to stand on. He’s still under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney and the Department of Homeland Security for a separate issue involving an undocumented nanny. His time in the sun is over.
The Texas Republican Exit
Hours after Swalwell’s announcement, Tony Gonzales followed suit. The Texas Republican had been drowning in scandal for months. He admitted to an affair with a staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who later died by self-immolation—a tragic, horrific end to a sordid story.
Gonzales tried to hang on. He dropped his reelection bid in March but insisted on serving out the rest of his term. That wasn't good enough for his colleagues. The pressure from Speaker Mike Johnson and a looming expulsion vote finally cracked him.
The most telling part of this entire saga is the "symmetrical purge" happening on Capitol Hill. There’s a sense that if the House is going to kick out a Democrat, they have to kick out a Republican to keep the peace. It’s a cynical way to run a government, but in this case, it’s actually resulting in some long-overdue house cleaning.
Who is Next on the Chopping Block
If you think the departures stop with Swalwell and Gonzales, you aren't paying attention. Two more lawmakers from Florida are currently in the crosshairs.
- Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D): She’s already facing a sanctions hearing. An Ethics Committee subpanel found 25 violations related to campaign finance. She’s also looking at a federal criminal trial next year for allegedly stealing $5 million in disaster funds.
- Cory Mills (R): He’s under fire for a laundry list of issues, from sexual misconduct and domestic violence allegations to campaign finance violations. He denies it all, but the momentum for his removal is growing.
The House has only expelled six members in its entire 237-year history. George Santos was the most recent in 2023. Before that, you had to go back to the Civil War or literal bribery convictions to see someone kicked out. The fact that we’re talking about four potential removals in a single week shows how much the tolerance for "business as usual" has eroded.
The Myth of Due Process in Ethics
Swalwell complained that expelling someone without "due process" is wrong. He’s half-right. Everyone deserves a fair shake, but a seat in Congress is a privilege, not a right. The House Ethics Committee is notoriously slow. It’s where scandals go to die or at least stay in limbo until the next election cycle.
The problem is that the "due process" Swalwell wants often looks like a stall tactic. When you have credible allegations of rape and sexual assault, or when a staffer dies following an admitted affair with a superior, the "wait and see" approach is an insult to the victims and the taxpayers.
How to Track Your Representative’s Record
Don't wait for a headline to find out what your representative is up to. Most people don't realize how much information is actually public if you know where to look.
- Check the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) website. They often release reports before the formal Ethics Committee does.
- Use Federal Election Commission (FEC) data to see who is funding their campaigns and where that money is going. Large "legal fee" payouts are usually a massive red flag.
- Follow local news outlets in their home districts. National media often misses the early warning signs that local reporters pick up on months in advance.
The era of the untouchable congressman is ending. Whether it’s through resignation or the rare hammer of expulsion, the standard for behavior is finally being raised. It’s a messy, ugly process, but it’s the only way to keep the institution from rotting from the inside out. If you live in California's 15th district or Texas's 23rd, keep an eye on the special election dates. You're about to get a chance to start over.
